


Ryoko's Interrogation

by hunterofcomedy



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 09:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27468928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunterofcomedy/pseuds/hunterofcomedy
Summary: Ryoko Otonashi woke up inside Hope's Peak, surrounded by Makoto and the other survivors of the killing game. With no memory of who she is, or what she's done, the amnesiac must endure the harsh consequences of her previous persona's actions. *Sequel to "Junko's 'Exectuion'"* Spoilers for the entire Danganronpa series.
Comments: 28
Kudos: 40





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: This story is a continuation of my previous one-shot “Junko’s ‘Execution’”. I highly recommend reading that before starting this story. I hope you enjoy it!

“Hello? Creepy Rabbit Thing? Are we doing a session today or what?” Ryoko Otonashi loudly inquired as she banged on the door to her room, or perhaps she should refer to it as her cell.

The thing was, this room wasn’t exactly what you’d consider a prison or jail cell. It had a firm but mostly comfortable bed, a dresser with various clothes, a full-length mirror just beside the dresser, and even a small table with a few three-year-old magazines on it. More than likely it was someone’s room that had been converted into a cell. In fact, the only semblance of the room being a cell was the windowless metal door that only locked from the outside.

All in all, it wasn’t that bad of a room…if you didn’t mind being imprisoned with no daylight for several weeks!

Her only visitor, if you could call it that, was a strange rabbit mascot called Usami, who would suddenly appear on the monitor next to her door. The Creepy Rabbit Thing would show up, act all cutesy, which was unsettling to say the least, and start asking her all kinds of weird questions.

It started out with standard psych stuff like; did she hear voices? What kind of value did she place on human life? Did she ever feel the urge to harm herself or others? Basic questions that gave a general idea of a person’s psychiatric profile. However, it seemed like the rabbit was fishing for something else…though Ryoko had no idea what.

Something about the rabbit’s tone suggested a deeper meaning to the evaluation, but in the end, there just wasn’t anything wrong with her. She didn’t hear voices, thought murder was wrong, and never had the urge to hurt _anyone_ , let alone herself. Once that was done, however, that’s when the real tests began.

She was given puzzles to solves, both physical and verbal. From Rubik’s cubes to strategy games, almost every day she was told to solve the problems in front of her. And, left with few other options, that’s exactly what Ryoko did. She found most of them quite boring, actually. At times, she questioned why she was made to solve such simple puzzles but was always told it was for the sake of her evaluation.

Ryoko would have protested, but at least it gave her something to do while trapped in her cell/room. But not today it seemed, given that she’d already been up for several hours and the creepily cute rabbit hadn’t come knocking. Even if it was a boring puzzle, she would have welcomed something to take her mind off her boredom.

“Whatever…” Letting out an irritated groan, she turned on a heel and marched over to her bed.

Passing by her nightstand, she briefly glanced at the magazine stacked there. She’d read through them all so many times that she could practically recite each article…maybe she’d start folding them into origami or something? But that could wait for another time, since she wasn’t feeling particularly motivated today.

Plopping facedown onto the old, worn out sheets, she released a heavy sigh she’d been holding in for a while. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could go on like this. Rolling over, she caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror across the room. Her hand gently moved to stroke her hair, the strawberry blonde beginning to fade as her red colored roots continued to grow outward.

That was another mystery for her to solve. Why had she dyed her hair that obnoxious color in the first place? Not to mention the fact that when she’d been found, she was wearing, what she assumed to be, designer’s clothes. She’d since changed into a simple brown blouse and knee-length black skirt. Faded though these new clothes were, it was far more comfortable than her old outfit, which she’d discarded not long after being rescued by Makoto and the others.

Yet another mystery she couldn’t answer…why had she awoken, tied to an electric chair, and covered in her own wastes? If she had been electrified, then it made sense. But if she _had_ been electrified, why was she still alive?

In either case, she would certainly have died in that chair if it hadn’t been for Makoto and everyone else…who she also hadn’t seen since being captured. It was still hard to believe that she’d been imprisoned here for so long, but time wasn’t really relevant anymore. And although she had no one to admit it to, she was rather lonely. And her mind would often wander, thinking about the fates of all her fellow ‘survivors’ of that freaky school.

“Makoto…everyone…where are you guys?” she whispered to herself, her mind drifting back to the day when she’d awoken in that strange school…the day that everything changed.

* * *

_-A Few Weeks Prior-_

_“So, when are you going to tell me what happened here?”_

_Ryoko Otonashi’s question echoed in the large entrance hall she and the other survivors stood in. Her long pink hair trailed down her back. Since her original clothes had been soiled, she’d changed into a simple white blouse and skirt that were found in someone’s room. Her tie discarded and unlike the outfit she’d woken up in, she made sure her blouse was fully buttoned so that her bra wasn’t revealed. How embarrassing…_

_Why had she been dressed like some kind of fashion deva? Had her kidnappers’ dressed her up like that? Although she couldn’t tell you why, she preferred more modest clothes, hence finding her current outfit much more appealing. While she’d changed into new clothes, watched over by the stoic girl with lavender hair and the glasses girl who wielded pepper like it was a deadly weapon, the rest of the group investigated the building and returned with both food and a surprising discovery._

_A switch with a convenient label:_ **ESCAPE SWITCH**

 _With little debate, they had decided that it was time to test the strange button they’d found that could possibly allow them to leave the school. And although_ she _was excited, the apprehensive expressions on her rescuers’ faces told a different story. They seemed hesitant…almost fearful to open the door._

_Ryoko on the other hand, was more than eager to see what lied on the other side of the ominous metal door. After all, she’d been found tied to a chair, literally stewing in her own waste! Who the hell did that to her? Her saviors had been less than informative, giving her only the vaguest of answers._

_Unfortunately, the more she pressed for answers, the more she seemed to infuriate everyone else._

_“We already told you what happen,” an athletic looking girl, Asahina, said with a scowl, not even bothering to look at Ryoko. “We were all trapped in the school but found a switch that lets us out. We found you in a hidden room after…the Mastermind did something to you, remember?”_

_“Yeah, I remember_ that _part, but…I mean…what’s going on with this place?!” the amnesiac protested, noticing that no one was willing to meet her gaze…which only further incentivized her. “Was it just the seven of us in here? Did you find anyone else? How long have we been here? C’mon guys, I need some answers—”._

_“W-Would you just sh-shut up already!” the nerdy-looking girl, Toko, snapped at her. “All th-that matters is that w-we get to leave now! So stop a-asking so many q-questions!”_

_Hearing this, Ryoko couldn’t stop from narrowing her eyes at how hostile the glasses wearing girl was being to her. Obviously, she’d be curious as to how they ended up in such a situation; there wasn’t any reason for her to be so snippy with her._

_“_ What did I ever do to her? _” Ryoko thought to herself, not wanting to get into a fight with the only people she’d seen since she’d awoken._

_“Can you at least tell me where you found that switch? How do you even know it opens this door?” the amnesiac girl demanded, refusing to back down from her position._

_“…The Mastermind told us themselves,” the stoic young woman called Kyoko informed her, angling her piercing lavender eyes in Ryoko’s direction. “Right before they…disappeared, the Mastermind told us they’d allow us to leave. It seems this is how we’ll accomplish that.”_

_Although thankful for the explanation, something hidden with the lavender haired girl’s words perturbed Ryoko. She wasn’t sure why, but somehow she was able to discern that, although she was being polite, there was an underlying tone of resentment buried within her words. How Ryoko knew that, she couldn’t even begin to comprehend._

_At the same time, she figured it was best to just wait until they got outside. Once they were back in civilization again, undoubtedly the authorities would investigate and possibly discover why she’d been kidnapped in the first place. So, as Makoto gave a heartfelt speech about hope and the future, Ryoko trained her eyes on the door, eager to take her first steps toward uncovering the mystery of her imprisonment._

_“I guess you could say that…we graduated.”_

_And with that, Makoto pressed the button, triggering a siren to blare as the doors slowly began to open up to the outside world. However, Makoto’s comment weighed heavy on Ryoko’s mind._

_‘_ Graduated _’…something about that word felt…off to her. Like it wasn’t something to be proud of, rather it was something to be feared—_

_“Argh!” A sudden jolt of pain shot through her skull, making her eyes water as she clutched her head. The pulsing pounding in her brain disoriented her, and she nearly lost her footing as he legs suddenly weakened._

_“R-Ryoko! Are you okay?” Makoto’s voice called out to her, amidst the roaring siren._

_A gentle hand, more than likely Makoto’s, rested on her shoulder. Even through the pounding pain, his obvious concern was soothing. Very slowly, the pain began to subside, though it didn’t vanish entirely. A dull ache had constantly pestered her since she’d awoken earlier that day. And whenever she even_ tried _to search her memories for information, that’s when the pain intensified._

_“W-What…did they…do to me?!” Ryoko seethed through gritted teeth, her eyes stinging more than usual._

_With her vision impaired, all she could do was listen as the door fully opened. When it seemed it was finally open, she heard a number of gasps from her rescuers._

_Perturbed by their intense reaction, she slowly tried opening her eyes, but winced in pain as it felt like something was stuck in her eyelid. Fortunately, since she’d removed her atrocious fake nails when changing earlier, she was able to carefully use her fingertips to pinch whatever it was that was stuck on her eye. Pulling her hand back, she gasped as a blue colored contact lens was pinched between her thumb and index finger._

_“W-What…? Why am I wearing colored contacts?” she questioned, to which no one answered. Feeling her other eye, she found a similar lens on her other eye and swiftly removed it. Blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted, she was please she didn’t need those contact to fix her vision. “Well, that’s…a…relief…”_

_Lifting her gaze, she finally understood why everyone had gasped in shock…because she immediately did so as well._

_A blood-red sky greeted them, and the entire world seemed darkened, even though it was already past noon. Just glancing out the entrance, they could make out withered trees and large ruined structures. It almost seemed as if…this building alone had survived a nuclear blast!_

_“What’s…going on?!” Ryoko practically shouted, her mind cracking as she surveyed the destruction. Turning toward her fellow ‘survivors’, the amnesiac girl yelled, “What…what happened here?! I thought you said this was a school! Why does it look like a bomb went off outside?!”_

_“So…it really was true,” the young man with wild hair, Yasuhiro if she recalled correctly, said softly before loudly shouting. “The world…really_ DID _come to an end!”_

_“W-What…?” was all Ryoko could utter as she was forced to acknowledge the sight before her._

_All of her hopes for finding out what had happened to her vanished. Instead, it was replaced with a sickening feeling…a hopelessness that she never imaged experiencing. Along with it, a surge of anger began to rise up._

_Turning and facing Makoto, who now stood beside her, she narrowed her gaze and demanded, “Okay, that’s it! What_ aren’t _you guys telling me?!” Pointing toward the ruined city, she continued to shout, “You know what happened here, don’t you?! Don’t think I haven’t noticed! You all know what’s going on and I demand that you—”._

 _“You’re not in a position to_ demand _anything.”_

 _Ryoko’s breath caught in her throat as a new voice, emanating from_ outside _the building, reached her. Snapping her head over, she and her fellow ‘survivors’ were greeted by the sight of a fully armed military unit approaching them. They must have been hiding near the entrance, as they appeared almost without any of the ‘survivors’ noticing._

_Out in front, a tall man with white hair, brandishing a katana, led the military unit closer. Next to him, an even taller man with dark hair and a furry coat cracked his knuckles, glaring directly at Ryoko. Sweat trickled down her back as she noticed that all of the soldiers held automatic firearms and had their sights trained on her and her rescuers._

_Once they were within ten feet of the Makoto’s group, the white haired man held up his hand, signaling his forces to halt. Ryoko would have let out a sigh of relief, if not for the fact that the other man kept marching…directly toward her!_

_“You know what to do, Sakakura…” the white haired man said, further terrifying the already traumatized Ryoko._

_“Oh yeah…I’m gonna_ enjoy _this!” the man now known as Sakakura abruptly yelled as he dashed forward, instantly closing the gap between himself and Ryoko._

_Ryoko didn’t even have time to gasp before she felt his fist slam into her stomach. All air was suddenly expelled from her lungs and she doubled-over as he retracted his fist. Collapsing to her knees, she struggled to suck in a breath, but to no avail. Out of oxygen and unable to breath, Ryoko vision swam as she watched Sakakura lift his boot, preparing to stomp on her face._

_Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced for the inevitable attack…but it never came. Instead, she heard a familiar voice shout, “What do you think you’re doing?!”_

_Snapping her eyes open, Ryoko’s eyes widened as Makoto had thrown himself between her and the attacker. By this time, she was barely able to start breathing again and blinked as her vision slowly began to clear._

_“Get the hell outta my way, brat!” Sakakura yelled, swinging his leg into the side of Makoto’s head._

_The kind-hearted student grunted as he hit the floor. Instantly, the rest of the ‘survivors’ ran up to him, forming a shield between the attacker and their friend. Unfortunately, this only seemed to further irritate Sakakura, who cracked his neck and seemed prepared to throw down with them as well._

_Before that could happen, however, the authoritarian voice of the white hair man resounded._

_“Sakakura. That’s enough.” His stern tone stopped Sakakura in his tracks. With one last menacing glare thrown in Ryoko’s direction, he huffed, stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked back over to where the white haired man stood. The instant that was done, the white haired man barked another order. “Take them all into custody.”_

_Before she even had time to get up off her knees, a swarm of soldiers descended upon her. They pulled her hands behind her back and bound them, along with tying her ankles together. Weakened from that asshole Sakakura’s sucker punch, Ryoko didn’t have much strength to fight back but struggled as best she could._

_It was then that a rag was shoved over her nose and mouth, a sickly sweet scent invading her nostrils. Chloroform…she realized, though how she knew that was beyond her. Almost immediately, she felt her consciousness slipping, and just before she passed out, she tried to glance over in Makoto’s direction…but failed as darkness overtook her…_

* * *

“How long are they gonna keep me here…?” Ryoko wondered aloud, rolling off the edge of the bed and walking around the room, aimlessly.

Stopping in front of the full length mirror, Ryoko surveyed herself. She was a bit thinner, having only gotten two light meals a day for the past few weeks. She’d never seen who delivered her food, as a panel on the door opened and only a tray of food was pushed inside. Despite not having much room to move around, she was in surprisingly good health. She chalked that up to genetics because she even though she barely exercised, she still had a solid figure, not that it did her any good stuck in here. She had been given a change of clothes, giving her two whole outfits to wear. Fortunately, there was a shower in her bathroom, so she could at least ‘feel’ clean. The blouse they’d given her was a little tight around the chest area but with no other options, she just had to put up with it.

Her deep crimson eyes were dulled, and she knew she was approaching her breaking point. Being trapped underground and frequently interrogated had that effect on you. About facing and plopping back onto her bed, Ryoko buried her face in her pillow and groaned. She knew that dinnertime was still a ways away, and with nothing better to do, Ryoko slowly closed her eyes and prepared for nap—

_HRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!_

“Freakin’ really?” she muttered as the monitor next to her door roared to life. Picking herself up and sluggishly swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, she hoisted herself up and walked toward the monitor. Suppressing a yawn, the amnesiac girl stood in front of the screen until the static cleared.

With the same annoying little jingle that always played when the rabbit arrived, ‘Magical Miracle Girl: Usami’ suddenly popped up from the bottom of the screen, looking as delightfully creepy as ever.

“Goooooood Morning, Ryoko~! How are you this today?” the overly happy rabbit asked her, it’s voice so sickly sweet it hurt.

“I _was_ trying to take a nap since you came so late today, but I guess that’s out of the question now…” Ryoko told her honestly, still miffed about not getting her nap.

“Uwawa! I’m sorry! I know I was late! I had a meeting to attend and it ran long!” Usami explained, which only deepened Ryoko’s curiosity. “Anyway, I’ve got a different kind of test for you today! Do you think you can handle it?”

…Something was… _off_ about the Creepy Rabbit Thing today. It was using the same voice as always, and even spoke with most of its usual mannerisms…but deep inside, something told Ryoko to be on guard, though she had no idea why. At the same time, Ryoko knew she didn’t have much of choice other than to do as Usami asked.

During their first meeting, Usami had promised her that as long as she cooperated, there was a chance she’d be set free. A chance. Not a guarantee. That part always worried her, but Ryoko didn’t exactly have many other options. This ‘interrogator’ spoke pleasantly enough but would always fall silent whenever Ryoko asked too many questions…almost as if she was afraid of answering, which didn’t make any sense.

“Whatever,” Ryoko finally said, letting out a heavy sigh and preparing for another ‘examination’. “So what’ll I be doing this time? More of the same?”

Usami frowned and answered, “Actually, today I have something different in mind. Please take a look at these pictures and tell me if you recognize anyone.”

Before Ryoko could protest, various pictures of people began to be displayed on the monitor. There was a picture of a girl dancing on stage in a frilly outfit. Probably an idol or something. But just as expected, the image didn’t spark any kind of reaction from her. Moving on, there was an image of a weird girl with the twin hair drills, a biker-looking dude with a pompadour, some pink haired chick playing video games…none of which she recognized at all.

“Now then, do you recognize any of these people?” Usami asked, her voice definitely more serious than usual. “Even if you don’t recognize them, please let me know if you feel anything just by looking at them.”

“‘Feel anything’, what’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Ryoko openly questioned, feeling both irritated and suspicious.

“Like a sense of déjà vu or something akin to it,” the Creep Rabbit Thing answered, surprisingly patient with her…another ‘tell’ that stuck out in Ryoko’s mind. “Just…let me know if you have any particular… _thoughts_ about these people.”

With an indifferent shrug, Ryoko looked over the pictures one more time. However, no matter how much she stared at their smiling faces, nothing came to her. They all seemed like nice people but Ryoko doubted that’s what Usami was getting at with ‘feeling something’. None of them gave her a particular vibe or anything, not even the girl in the weird gothic lolita outfit.

Were they expecting her to recognize them? It was the only thing that made sense. Had she known these people before losing her memory? If she did, none of that mattered to her now. She was literally drawing a blank as she stared at them for an unnecessarily long period of time.

“No, no, no, aaaaand…no. I don’t recognize them and none of them make me ‘feel anything’,” Ryoko finally answered, groaning loudly as she tilted her head back, glaring at the ceiling. “I mean, is that really a surprise? I. Don’t. Know. Who. I. Am! I don’t recognize these people and even if I did, what would be the point? Are they, like, missing or something? Was I the last person to see them alive and you’re trying to get info out of me? Seriously, what do you people want from me?!”

As always, the moment she started asking questions, Usami fell silent. This time, however, the silence was somehow frightening. The Creepy Rabbit Thing was usually more talkative and filled with hopeful rhetoric. But not today, for some reason, which only further confirmed Ryoko’s quickly forming suspicions.

Then, almost out of nowhere, the rabbit’s visage suddenly hardened. Ryoko inwardly flinched as Usami’s voice deepened.

“I want you to remember what you did to all of them…”

Ryoko immediately tensed, swallowing a lump in her throat as the Creepy Rabbit Thing’s voice and visage changed. Confusion invaded her mind on several fronts:

Firstly, why did the rabbit’s attitude suddenly change? This was the first time since her imprisonment began that Usami showed _any_ level of hostility. And while it could be chalked up to whoever was controlling the rabbit didn’t appreciate not seeing the results they wanted…something told Ryoko that it was deeper than that.

Secondly, their words just now were beyond perplexing. All those pictures…did she know those people before she lost her memory? She obviously must have done something to all of them, but she couldn’t imagine what! Jeez, her memories _started_ only a few weeks ago! Everything else was gone! She wasn’t even sure of Ryoko Otonashi really _was_ her name! But since it was all she could remember, she clung to it as desperately as one would expect.

Third and finally…what did her captures _really_ want from her? It was obvious by now that they knew something about her, but if that was the case, why not just come out and say it? If they knew who she was, what was the danger in telling her? Why did they feel the need to keep their motivations a secret?

There were too many questions and not enough answers. And despite the fact that Usami was glaring at her expectantly, Ryoko knew this might be only chance to get some real answers.

“So…who am I talking to now?” Ryoko asked, folding her arms in order to hide her nervousness.

…

…

“What do you mean? I’m just your squeezably soft rabbit interrogator!” Usami abruptly told her, her usual demeanor returning. But it was too late. That last interaction confirmed Ryoko’s suspicions, and she was eager to act on it.

“Was my usual interrogator out sick today or something? You’re doing a poor job of imitating whoever usually controls the Creepy Rabbit Thing,” Ryoko confidently affirmed, a smug grin stretching her cheeks.

After a few more moments of silence, once again, Usami’s voice darkened…which was odd, considering it was still somehow cutesy despite that. “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected any less from the Ultimate Analyst.”

Almost immediately, Ryoko latched on this new piece of information, desperately insisting, “‘Ultimate Analyst’?! I-Is that supposed to be me?! What’s so ‘ultimate’ about it?! A-And why does it sound like a super important title?!”

Ryoko knew she was stammering but since this was literally the first time she’d learned _anything_ about herself since she’d gotten amnesia, she was determined to follow up on it! Unfortunately, she realized too late that she’d fallen into a trap.

“It seems I’ve piqued your interest,” the Not Usami said, making Ryoko bit her lip as she predicted what would happen next. “If you want me to tell you what I know, I need you to do something for me.”

There it was, just as Ryoko suspected. Whoever this Not Usami was, they’d put her in check…and she didn’t like that. Frowning, she immediately thought of a way to reduce how much power they held over her.

“No thanks,” she refused, sounding as flippant as possible. “I’ll just wait for the real Usami to come back and get answers out of them. Or did you think I would trust someone who impersonated my interrogator?”

Because the image of Usami stopped showing facial reactions, it was hard to get a read on how much that affected the Not Usami. Still Ryoko was confident her words had at least _some_ effect. Unexpectedly, however, it wasn’t Usami’s voice that spoke to her…it was someone else…someone she recognized.

“I see, so that is your choice. That is unfortunate. I am your new interrogator from this day forth. I suggest you don’t test my patience.”

Ryoko’s eyes widened as the voice of the white hair man who’d captured her came through the speaker.

“I-It’s you! The guy who kidnapped us! Are Makoto and the others alright? Where are they right now?! Where am _I_ right now?! And most importantly, _who_ am I?!” The words flooded out of her mouth before she could stop herself, failing to beat back the desperation in her voice. “You know, don’t you?! You know _exactly_ who I am! Stop prancing around the issue and just tell me alre—!”

“I am under no obligation to tell you _anything_ ,” the white haired man interrupted her, his voice calm and yet frighteningly cold. In response, Ryoko snapped her mouth shut, realizing that pressing the issue would do more harm than good. After an anxiety inducing pause, the man’s voice came back suddenly. “As I mentioned before, if you want the information I have in my possession, you will need to follow my instructions. Do you understand?”

A pit began to form in Ryoko’s stomach as he spoke. As grim as it was, the desperate young woman had to face the reality of the situation. With this jerk as her new interrogator, her situation had taken a turn for the worse. She definitely didn’t like the way he talked down to her, and she certainly didn’t appreciate being manipulated. But ultimately, that didn’t matter. What _did_ matter was that her options were now even more limited than before.

She could either cooperate with him…and possibly learn who she really was. Or she could deny him…and spend the rest of her life trapped in this admittedly cozy but still claustrophobic room. It wasn’t much of a choice really, and she recognized that instantly. At the same time, since she was grasping at straws, she may as well figure out what he wanted from her. Perhaps she could get some info out of him if she played her cards right.

With a practiced sigh, she finally answered, “Alright, fine. What do you want me to do, Mr…uh…”

“You don’t need to know my name,” the man told her through the speaker. Ryoko clicked her teeth. He was denying her even that tiny bit of information. Obviously, this was going to be more complicated than she’d imagined. “For now, I want you to go to the door and retrieve the item that is about to be delivered to you.”

As if on cue, the panel where her food was delivered slid open and a tray with a single circular object was pushed through. The panel was quickly closed and although Ryoko hesitated to move at first, she found her feet swiftly taking her in that direction.

Upon getting closer, the amnesiac discovered that the circular object was, in fact, some kind of bracelet. It was rather plain and seemed to be made of metal. It was an odd bracelet to say the least. It was currently open and seemed just large enough to clasp tightly around her wrist. Two miniscule holes the size of a pin pricks were on the underside, which was the only thing that really stood out. It didn’t have a display screen or anything so Ryoko doubted it was fitness tracker.

Wary of its purpose, she glanced back to the screen and said, “It’s…not going to shock me…is it?” She hadn’t meant to ask that question with so much fear in her voice…but after her experience with the electric chair, she didn’t exactly want to take any chances.

There was a pause, too long for her liking, but eventually, the mysterious man answered, “No, I can guarantee it won’t shock you. Now hurry and pick it up.”

Something in his voice told her that he wasn’t lying to her…but he wasn’t telling her the whole truth either. Regardless, she didn’t want to keep the mysterious man waiting, and picked it up. Before she could even tell him she had it, his voice resounded again, “Clasp it over your left wrist.”

Although scowling, Ryoko did as instructed, fitting the bracelet around her wrist and clasping the two ends together. Just as she’d surmised, it was extremely tight on her wrist. She couldn’t even adjust it.

“Okay…now wh—”.

Suddenly, a painful stinging sensation pierced her left wrist, right were the bracelet was. Ryoko gasped and groaned as she felt something being inject into her body. It was cold…and it made her feel light-headed…no, not light-headed…her consciousness was fading!

“Oww…what did…you…do…?” she demanded, her body already growing weaker.

“Don’t fight it. It will all be over soon.”

In spite of the mysterious man’s words, Ryoko actively struggled to keep herself from falling sleep. Panic began to set in, and she frantically started searching for a way to keep herself awake. Sadly, her legs gave out and she toppled to floor with a thud. She tried to pick herself back up, but found her strength was all but gone.

In a last ditch effort, Ryoko tried to pry the bracelet off her wrist, but as expected, it was stuck fast. As her consciousness faded, tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “…N-No…I…I don’t…want…to…”

But it was too late, the drug began to take effect and Ryoko Otonashi’s world began to fade to black. However, just before she fully passed out, she heard the door to her room open. As luck would have it, she just so happened to be facing the doorway, and she saw vaguely familiar forms standing just outside the door.

Sadly, before she could identify who was there, darkness overtook her…

* * *

A pulsing sensation…that was the first thing Ryoko felt as she awoke.

Her head rested on her arms, like a makeshift pillow, her mix-matched pink and red hair strew about all around her. Her mind felt like it was trapped in a hazy fog as her eyes fluttered open, confused as to where she had ended up. She was sitting at a desk…in what appeared to be a classroom. She blinked rapidly as her she took in her surroundings. 

“…Where…?” she asked aloud, slowly glancing around the classroom. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to her. The blackboard was clean, the desks were lined up properly, the windows were covered with huge metal plates—wait, what?!

That revelation caused a startled gasp to escape her as she shot up, instantly regretting it as a pulsating pain shot through her head. Her hands instinctually pressed against her temples, a pained grunt echoing in the strangely still classroom. As the pain subsided, Ryoko’s vision was drawn to the obscure metal plates that blocked each window.

“…What… _are_ those?” she asked the air, as if expecting it to answer.

Slowly getting up from the desk, on weak legs, she carefully walked over to the plates. Impossibly large screws lined the sides of the plate, and without thinking, she lifted her hands up and tried to twist the metal nuts keeping them fixed in place. But as one would expect, with her average schoolgirl arms, she was unable to move them even a tiny bit.

Glancing at the red marks on her hands, she sighed. “Why did I even try?” she questioned aloud, for once pleased that no one else was around to witness her stupidity. Taking another look around the room, she spotted a pair of doors. With nothing else of interest in the room, and nowhere else to go, Ryoko cautiously made her way toward the doors.

Much to her surprise, the sliding door wasn’t locked, and she was able to push it aside without issue. Taking her first steps out of the classroom, her blood froze in her veins.

“I…I know this place!” she told herself, instantly recognizing exactly where she was. “This…this is that school! Why…why am I back here?!” 

Cold sweat trickled down her back as the memories came flooding back. Her eyes shot to her wrist and she was relieved to see that the bracelet used to drug her was gone. They must have removed it while transporting her. That said, her head was filled with questions that no one could answer.

Why was she back in that creepy school…alone and unattended? They’d kept such a close eye on her for almost a month, so why let her go now? Could it be that… _they_ were the ones who kidnapped her before she lost her memories? Were _they_ responsible for her waking up in that electric chair, covered in her own filth? If that was true…why did they keep asking her to remember things? Who _were_ those people that captured her, Makoto, and the others?

The more Ryoko wrestled with those questions, the more mysterious the whole situation became.

“Well…no point in standing around,” she told herself, looking around and trying to figure out which way to go. “I should try and find the exit first. After that I can—”.

***SLAM***

Ryoko nearly jumped out of her skin as a loud banging noise echoed from down the hallway. Her sharp red eyes instantly focused in that direction, widening as she discovered the source of the sound. On the other end of the hallway, a girl with long blue-ish hair stood outside what appeared to be another classroom, her delicate hand on the door handle. Ryoko surmised that the girl must have slammed the door shut, but that was the least of her concerns…because she actually recognized that girl!

She was wearing a simple school uniform, but Ryoko had no doubt that it was the same idol looking girl that Not Usami had shown her a picture of earlier! Before she could call out, the idol girl turned and glanced in her direction, a deep frown settled onto her face. Ryoko was almost taken aback by how aggressive her posture was, which gave the idol girl just enough time to turn on a heel and dart down the hallway.

“H-Hey! Wait!” Ryoko instinctively called out, immediately giving chase. However, the idol girl didn’t respond, and instead sped off through an archway with a sigh that read: **Dormitory**.

Although extremely confused, both as to why that girl was suddenly here and the coincidence of meeting her at all, Ryoko doggedly pursued her into the dorms. She had so many questions and even if the idol girl couldn’t answer them, she’d settle for just not being alone in this freaky school.

To her surprise, the dorms were a lot bigger than she’d imagined! There was a cafeteria on her right, a bathhouse and laundry room on her left, and straight ahead were various dorm rooms, enough to house more than a dozen people! And currently racing toward one of those dorm room was the blue haired idol girl, who only paused long enough to glance back toward Ryoko before opening a door and disappearing inside.

“Whoa, hold on! I think I know you…or something!” Ryoko shouted, speeding after the idol girl. Fortunately, the blue haired girl had left the door open, so she didn’t have to guess which room she’d entered. Maneuvering around the open door, the amnesiac girl called out, “I’m not going to hurt you or anything, I just…want…to…know…”

Words failed her as she took in the state of the room she’d entered. It looked like some kind of animal had torn it apart! There were slash marks on the walls and floor, the bed was a tussled mess, and a golden katana lay unsheathed on the floor. Ryoko barely had time to look over the room before she heard it…

“KYAAAAAAAHHHH!”

An ear piercing scream! It came from the bathroom! It had to be that girl! Without thinking, Ryoko dashed toward the bathroom, which was barely still on its hinges, and tore it open. Taking a single step inside, Ryoko’s world spun.

There, lying in a pool of her own blood, a kitchen knife protruding from her stomach, was the idol girl. Her face was pale, and her eyes were closed…she wasn’t breathing. She…was dead.

As Ryoko’s eyes dilated, her entire body suddenly felt cold, and bile rose up in the back of her throat. Before she even knew what was happening, she doubled over and vomited onto the floor, right in front of the idol girl’s body. Gasping for breath as her throat and lungs burned, Ryoko struggled, in vain, to comprehend her situation.

“ _How…How can she be dead?! I…I just heard her scream!_ ” she tried to rationalize, despite the clear evidence in front of her.

Forcing her head up, Ryoko slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting again as she surveyed the body. Obviously, the knife in her gut was the fatal injury. However, judging by the gold flakes on her wrist, and the swelling, she must have suffered a broken wrist before being stabbed. The golden sword on the floor of the other room had flecks of paint missing, so obviously she’d been attacked with—

“ _H-Hold on, that doesn’t make any sense! She was alone in this room, like, less than ten seconds before I came in! I didn’t hear a struggle or anything! What the hell is going—?!_ ”

In the midst of comprehending this impossible scenario, the creaking of the bathroom door startled her. Whirling around and skidding backwards away from the door, Ryoko held up her arms in makeshift defense. However, what greeted her completely defied any expectations she might have had.

Standing there, just outside the door, it’s shadow looming over her…was a monochrome teddy bear. Split down the middle; half of it was white, cute, and cuddly…while the other half was jet black, had a huge glowing red eye, and a row of razor-sharp teeth! Even more confusing was the fact that it walked on its hind legs, like a person, taking a menacing step in Ryoko’s direction.

Suddenly, everything became clear. Somehow…deep within the recesses of her mind, Ryoko knew that this strange mix-matched bear was responsible for the idol girl’s death…and now it was coming for her! Fear gripping her very soul, Ryoko slid herself along the floor until her back pressed up against the opposite wall…right next to the idol girl’s corpse. All the while, the strange half-and-half bear waddled closer to her, a low…despair-inducing laugh echoing as it approached.

“Upupupupupupupupu…”

“N-No…STAY AWAY!” Ryoko shouted, pressing her back firmly against the wall in the fruitless hope that she could somehow pass through it and escape.

Frantically looking around for any means of escape, Ryoko’s bright red irises snapped over to the dead idol, terrified that she was about to join the unknown girl in death. However, at that moment, her eyes also spotted her one chance for salvation.

“I need to borrow this…” Ryoko reluctantly whispered, feeling slightly guilty as her hand reached for the knife in the idol’s stomach. With a swift tug, she managed to pull it free just in time.

The creepy bear suddenly roared and lunged at her, it’s claws extended. However, it’s semi-cuddly face found itself impaled on the knife Ryoko bravely angled toward it. The bear grunted and reared back, pawing at the blade stuck between its eyes. Knowing this was her only chance, the terrified Ryoko dived past the bear, scrambled to her feet, and dashed out of the bathroom.

Keeping that momentum going, Ryoko sped out of the dorm room itself, slamming the door shut behind her. She didn’t wait to see if the bear would follow after her, frantically running down the hallway and out of the dorms. But she didn’t stop here, racing down the halls as the bear’s malicious laughter echoed not far behind her.

“Upupupupupupupupupu…”

Racing past the classroom she’d awoken in, Ryoko began to recognize this part of the school. She’d only seen it once, when Makoto and the other’s had rescued her, but she knew that if she kept going down this path, she’d eventually find the main entrance. Her only hope for survival was to get there and pray the large metal door was still open. Even if it meant escaping into an apocalyptic hellscape, she’d take that over being murdered by a creepy bear mascot!

Despite how much her legs ached, Ryoko picked up speed, passing by a set of large, red double-doors, the likes of which she _didn’t_ remember seeing before. Chalking it up to only seeing the place once before, she continued onward, the faintest bit of hope welling up with each step.

Sadly, as she rounded the corner, that hope was ripped away from her. She barely stopped in time to avoid smacking into a large wall that stretched from floor to ceiling…a dead end.

“W-What the—?!” she frustrated shouted, her hands patting the wall to ensure it wasn’t fake. Out of breath, she panted as her fist slammed against the obstruction. “T-This…wasn’t here last time—!”

“Upupupupupupupu…”

Hearing that ominous laughter, Ryoko whirled around and was thankful that the bear wasn’t right behind her. Judging by the echo, the bear was still a little ways behind her…but with her exit blocked off, there was nowhere else to run! Frantically wiping away the sweat that slid down her forehead, the amnesiac girl decided to double back, in the hopes of finding another route…or even a place to hide!

Heading back around the corner, Ryoko’s feet nearly came out from under her as she witness the murderous bear creature exiting the dorms, the bloody knife still protruding out of its forehead. Locking eyes with her, the bear roared once again and began to waddle-run in her direction. Barely holding in yelp, Ryoko instinctively backed up until something pressed into her backside. Whirling around, she was semi-relieved to see it was only a doorhandle…to the big red double-doors!

Left with no other options, Ryoko grasped the handle and thankfully, it opened! Pulling the doors open, she was surprised to see an elevator in the room beyond. Briefly glancing over her shoulder, and noting that the bear was almost upon her, she quickly slipped inside and slammed the doors shut.

She glanced around for something to block the door with, but the entire room was devoid of any furniture. Only the large elevator in the back stood out, which Ryoko immediately distrusted but knew she had little choice.

***BANG*BANG***

Ryoko recoiled away from the door as the bear creature on the other side began slamming against it. For a brief moment, the amnesiac girl wondered why it didn’t just turn the handle, but then remembered it had paws. Hoping that would buy her a little time, she headed for the elevator, repeatedly slamming her palm against the only button present.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” she frantically whispered, pressing the button harder, as if that would do any good.

***BANG*BANG*CRACK***

Ryoko gasped as that cracking noise reached her ears, glancing over her shoulder with wide eyes. The murderous bear creature had managed to tear through part of the door with its claws, tearing more and more of the wooden barricade away with each swipe. This in turn caused Ryoko to press the button even faster, silently begging the god of elevators to save her!

Repeatedly glancing between the elevator and the rapidly disappearing door, Ryoko’s fear spiked when the evil bear started forcing itself through a hole it tore through the center of the doors.

“G-Get away! Leave me alone!” she screamed as the bear wiggled it’s round body, trying to squeeze through the small opening. Just when it looked like the bear was going to pop through, a miraculous sound reach her ears.

***DING***

Her prayers were answered as the elevator arrived, the metal doors slowly opening. Rushing over to them, Ryoko slid through the small gap in the opening doors and promptly looked for a button panel. Instead of that, she found a single lever on the right side and leapt for it, pulling it down as she sank to the floor. To her elated joy, the doors stopped trying to open and instead began to close.

Unfortunately, a loud crash indicated the girl’s worst fear. Peeking around out from the elevator, Ryoko audibly gasped as the half-and-half bear picked itself up after toppling through the mostly destroyed door. Brandishing both of its claws, the demented bear abruptly leaped toward the closing elevator doors.

Thinking fast, Ryoko scrambled over and used both hands to pull the doors closed. Just as the metal parts clanged together, the bear’s long claws poked through the small openings in the metal lattice…the claw stopping just short of Ryoko’s wide eyes. Using her feet to slide backwards on her butt, the amnesiac girl watched as the evil teddy bear tried to tear through the metal elevator doors.

Fortunately, it seemed that it’s claws were unable to break through, allowing Ryoko to breathe a small sigh of relief. As if on cue, the roar of an engine resounded all around her, and the elevator began to descend. Just before the malicious bear disappeared from sight, Ryoko smirked and stuck out her tongue at it, to which the bear tilted it’s head, as if pondering the gesture.

Covered in sweat and completely out of breath, Ryoko could only wonder where this loud metal box was taking her as it descended into the depths of the school.

* * *

“W-What… _was_ …that thing?!” Ryoko questioned the elevator as it took her deeper and deeper underground.

Her whole body ached as she was finally able to take a brief respite. Gasping for air, she pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart trying to fight its way out of her ribcage. The adrenaline that had kept her going finally ran out and she slumped against the back of the elevator, her brain synapses firing wildly as she tried to piece everything together.

Whatever that freaky bear thing was…it had killed that idol girl, and now it was coming after her. Although the conditions of which the idol girl had been killed still bothered her, there was no doubt that the bear harbored an intense desire to see Ryoko impaled on the business end of its claws.

But that didn’t answer her two primary questions…why was she back in the school and why was that bear trying to kill her?

It had a similar kind of feel to Usami, but on a complete opposite spectrum! Whereas Usami was cuddly and cute, creepily so if she was being honest, the demented half-and-half bear was a horror to behold! Both of them were terrifying, but for completely separate reasons! That being said, what was their connection?

There had to be some kind of connecting factor, they were too similar for it to be a coincidence. Could it be that whoever created Usami also crafted that psychotic murder bear?

“Uhhg! So many questions and _no answers_!” Ryoko protested, feeling even more lost than before. “That white haired guy promised to tell me who I was but that was a big lie! He stuck me in _this_ freaky place! He’s probably watching me right now! Pervert!”

With that in mind, Ryoko wearily observed her environment. Noticing a lack of surveillance equipment in the elevator, she released a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding, filling her with the slightest bit of comfort. The security cameras in the schools hallways had been unnerving, and it convinced her that she was being monitored…not that she wasn’t used to that by now. The monitor that Usami used to contact her with had a camera built into it, and while it always unnerved her, at least the bathroom in her cell had been devoid of such things.

“How poetic…” she quietly mused as her eyes fluttered closed. “Never imagined that I’d miss _that_ oppressive place…”

As the metal box continued to descend into the abyss, she lost what little strength she had left. Giving in to exhaustion, Ryoko allowed the rhythmic hum of the elevator to lull her into uneasy rest.

* * *

As Ryoko sat in the elevator, unbeknownst to her, a group of people were indeed watching her.

“Well…that was unexpected.”

“Unexpected?! Monokuma nearly killed her! Why did you—?!”

“We didn’t…or at least, we didn’t intend to anyway.”

“…What does that mean? What aren’t you telling me?”

“You’ll see soon enough. Regardless, Ryoko Otonashi must relive her sins. Otherwise, we cannot be sure that Junko Enoshima won’t someday rise from the depths of her subconscious.”

“…Please stay safe…Ryoko…”

* * *

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ryoko is taken deeper into the depths of the mysterious school, she begins to wonder what connection she might have to the people in the photographs...

***DING***

The harsh ringing of the elevator startled Ryoko back to consciousness, her head shooting up and hazily glancing about. As she rubbed her eyes and her vision cleared, she saw that the doors to the elevator had opened, unfamiliar territory just beyond them. There was no way to know how long she’d been asleep, but it probably hadn’t been long, considering she was in an elevator. And with no desire to return to the upper floor, her only choice was to explore this new area.

Using the wall for support, she hoisted herself to her feet. Taking a few moments to ground herself, Ryoko cautiously stepped out of the elevator, a strange sight in front of her.

The large circular room before her felt…ominous, for some reason. Then again, what about this crazy school _wasn’t_ by this point! Even so, a strange feeling of dread crept over her as she surveyed the ring of podiums and large throne-like chair just beyond them. It almost looked like some kind of debate room, where people would argue with each other.

“Was this, like, the debate club’s secret base?” Ryoko wondered aloud as she carefully examined the room. Mentally, she swiftly counted all the spaces available. “Sixteen podiums…huh? No place designated for an audience either. Maybe a meeting room for the teachers or something?”

The room seemed to have been used recently, since not a speck of dust or dirk could be seen anywhere, and it was highly doubtful that anyone came around to clean it. The strange, checkered pattern of the walls, combined with the red curtains, certainly were stylish but didn’t explain what the room’s purpose was.

Why did such a room exist in the first place? And why in the depths of the school?

At this point, Ryoko was all but convinced this was some kind of secret laboratory that was simply designed to ‘look’ like a school. Considering she’d originally been found tied to an electric chair, another girl had been murdered by a psychotic teddy bear, and now she’d discovered an underground discussion room…it was the most likely conclusion. At the same time, something tugged in the back of Ryoko’s mind…telling her that this was, in fact, a school.

She had no idea why she was certain of that…and it frightened her.

Until recently, her lack of memories had been more of an inconvenience than anything else. Being captured and held prisoner was higher on her ‘I’m Screwed’ list. But now, as she half recognized things, and felt strangely confident in her deductions, the fact that her memories were missing was becoming her primary concern.

“That guy…Not Usami. He said I was…the Ultimate Analyst,” Ryoko said, thinking back on her brief conversation with the mysterious man. Looking over the room once more, nitpicking every little detail even with a brief scan of her eyes, she began to form a hypothesis. “Is _that_ what he was talking about? Are all these weird feelings I have caused…by some innate ability I have? Or have I actually been here before? Arrgh! Why can’t someone just—?!”

* **BRRRRRRRRRRR** *

A loud buzzer interrupted her monologue, her attention instantly snapping up to a brightly lit sign that suddenly appeared on the wall. The sign, ominously light up with red light, had only two words on it: **IN USE**.

Suddenly, the wall beneath the sigh abruptly split and opened like a doorway, revealing a long cement corridor. An eerie chill ran down Ryoko’s spine as she surveyed the corridor.

“…This is why I _hate_ horror movies!” she complained, feeling more and more powerless with each passing moment. 

She knew whoever was pulling the strings was baiting her, and she didn’t like it. Calculating her options was pretty pointless too, as there were only two available to her. Go back to the elevator and ride it back up to where the murder bear was…or head down the increasingly unnerving and dimly lit corridor in front of her.

“Death or creepy hallway _leading_ to death… _please_ let me be ‘final girl’…” she whispered, slightly horrified that she somehow knew horror movie tropes.

Shaking away her doubts, Ryoko knew that the only real choice was the venture down the hallway. Beside, no matter how slim the chance was, it _was_ possible that another exit existed somewhere down here that would lead back up to the surface.

“…If I survive this, I’m gonna burn this stupid school to the ground,” she whispered to herself as she tentatively began walking down the hallway.

Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be a long hallway, as she could make out a dim light source at the other end. Obviously, it wasn’t daylight, but at this point, she’d take what she could get! Increasing her pace, Ryoko was almost out of the tunnel when an unexpected noise startled her.

* **VRRRRRMMM** * **VRRRRRMMM** *

Pressing her hand over her mouth to keep from shrieking in terror, Ryoko could _feel_ the heart palpitations caused by the sudden scare. Only just beginning to calm down, Ryoko found herself entranced by the loud booming noise emanating from the area not far ahead.

“It sounds…like a car—no, a motorcycle engine,” she surmised as she warily drew closer, peeking into the massive room beyond.

To her utter shock, she found what appeared to be circus of some kind! Two large tiger heads hung on opposite sides of a circular metal cage; the kind cyclists use for performances. Behind that was a circus tent backdrop, but what drew her attention most was the red carpet that lead to the cage itself. Because at the far end of it, ‘vrroom’ ‘vroom’-ing it’s heart out, was a tricked out motorcycle…with someone tied to the seat!

Again, Ryoko couldn’t help but notice it was another one of the people she’d seen in those pictures. It was the punk-looking guy with the huge pompadour hair! He sat atop the motorcycle, a grim expression on his face, unmoving as the bike revved itself! And even though she was a considerable distance away, Ryoko could see that he wasn’t even _trying_ to get out of his restraints!

“H-Hey! What are you doing?!” she instinctively shouted, trying to yell over the sound of the motor. However, the biker didn’t even glance in her direction, he probably couldn’t hear her over the engine’s rumblings. Taking a deep breath, she screamed at the top of her lungs, “GET OFF THAT THING! IT’S DANGEROUS!”

…

…

Dangerous? Why did she know that? It wasn’t a mere feeling. It was something she just knew. If he stayed on that motorcycle…he would die! Forcing all other thoughts out of her mind, Ryoko dashed toward the menacing motorbike…but she was too late.

Before she even got close to it, the motor revved, and the tires screeched as the bike flew forward, carrying the pompadour guy directly toward the circular metal cage. Ryoko could only watch helplessly as the bike sped inside, the cage instantly closing, causing the motorcycle and it’s rider to spin endlessly as it was propelled forward. As if mocking the rider in the cage, the twin tiger heads began spinning, causing a nauseating feeling of vertigo to wash over Ryoko.

Not willing to give up just yet, the amnesiac girl made her way toward the cage but stopped when a sudden flash blinded her. Holding up her arms to shield her eyes, she was barely able to make out that the light was emanating from the cage itself! What’s more, appearing atop the metal cage, were two spiral-shaped spires…

Ryoko’s blood froze in her veins as she recognized the spires…as miniature Tesla coils. And even worse, she could see the electric energy beginning to spark from both of them.

“No…No, no, no, STOP!”

Sadly, her pleas went unanswered, as the coils raged to life, completely electrifying the cage. The biker’s horrid screams echoed as the electric current tore him apart, though with the brightness of the light, Ryoko was spared from watching his body become a charred mess.

Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped. The biker’s screaming ceased. The bright light dimmed. The tiger heads spinning slowed to a crawl. Even the motorcycle inside the cage began to slow.

Ryoko braced herself for the image of the rider’s charred corpse, but as the bike eventually came to a halt and fell over…she was horrified to see that no one riding it! But…but that was impossible! She _knew_ she saw him go into the cage! So where could he have—?!

* **Beep** * **Beep** * **BEEEEEP** *

The loud beeping noise startled the confused Ryoko, who’s gaze shot over to a strange oven-looking device that was connected to the metal cage via a tube. No sooner had the beeping ceased that two small doors opened and out popped some kind of container.

For a moment, Ryoko merely stood there, sucking in shaky breaths as she tried to force herself to calm down. A few more moments passed…then fifteen seconds…then half a minute. Once she was certain that the…uh…death machine nearby was _actually_ finished, she slowly began to approach the container on the tray. And when she did, she wished she’d stayed away.

Sitting on the tray, with a picture of the ill-fated biker himself…was a plastic container of butter. The name of the butter was scratched out, but the rest of the label was perfectly legible.

“N-No way…I-It’s not…possible! He…was…liquified…?!”

As the pieces of what must have happened fell into place, more bile suddenly rose up in Ryoko’s throat. Fortunately, since she smartly didn’t open the container to ‘confirm’ her theory, the amnesiac girl barely managed to keep herself from retching her insides all over the floor. Gagging and sucking in choking breaths, Ryoko just barely noticed the sound of squishy footsteps approaching.

“ **RAWWWR!!!** ”

Whirling around, she was just in time to see a pair of razor sharp claws flying at her face.

Letting out a horrified screech, she threw herself away from the oven tray just in the nick of time. The malicious murder bear’s claws tore through the air right where she’d been less than a moment ago. As if it wasn’t traumatic enough, the bear’s metal claws ripped through the ‘butter’ container, splattering its contents all over the bear’s face.

Ryoko’s breath hitched as the murderous bear thing slowly turned in her direction… _and licked the liquified ‘butter’ off its claws!!_

Denying her body the urge to vomit, Ryoko instead scrambled to her feet, and took off running toward the corridor she’d came through. She momentarily considered fleeing elsewhere, but something in her gut told her that room was sealed off and she’d have a better chance with the elevator! That is…if it was still there! The bear probably rode it down to follow after her so it _should_ be there, but after everything she’d seen today, Ryoko was calling her sanity into question!

“Please be there, please be there, please be there, _please be there_!” she whispered like a mantra as she raced back through the dim corridor the bear’s ominous laughter not far behind her.

“Upupupupupupupu…”

The spine chilling chuckle echoed in the long hallway, driving Ryoko to pick up speed.

Once her feet hit the carpet of the debate room, she gasped in relief as she saw the elevator was still there. Not wasting a single second, the terrified girl practically dove inside, pulled the lever again. Relief washed over her as the doors closed, and the elevator began to descend again.

As luck would have it, the creepy murder bear abruptly entered the debate room, staring almost blankly at Ryoko before disappearing from her sight as the elevator sank deeper into the earth.

* * *

Ryoko’s chest and throat burned as she panted heavily, her body almost at its breaking point. Collapsing to the floor again, the amnesiac girl stared up at the ceiling, her mind just as rattle as her body.

“…I’m…not gonna make it…am I?” she was forced to admit, squeezing her eyes shut as tears trailed down her cheeks. “I can’t…keep running…like this…”

As painful as it was to admit, there was no way to deny it. Sooner or later, that demented bear would catch up with her, and when it did…well, best case she’d end up like the idol girl…worst case she’d get a bizarre execution similar to the pompadour guy. Neither seemed pleasant, though if she _had_ to choose, she’d take a knife in the gut rather than being liquified—

* **SLAP** *

“No! Stop that, Ryoko!” she yelled at herself, her face and palm stinging from slapping herself. “You’re not dead yet! Don’t give up until then!”

In truth, those words didn’t really come from her. It was just what she imagined Makoto would say in this situation.

Makoto…

For the first time in a while, a light smile tugged at Ryoko’s lips. He’d been the only one…the only person who had treated her with even a speck of kindness since she’d lost her memories. People would probably think him naïve, trusting her without knowing anything about her…but she disagreed. There was just something about him, she really couldn’t explain it. He was just so…optimistic and hopeful! It was practically infectious! Throughout her detainment, she’d recalled his persistent optimism and it helped her get through some of her darker times…not unlike right now.

That reminded her of something…a promise she’d sworn to herself not long after being captured. She remembered it vividly and drew strength from it…far more than she anticipated.

“At the very least…I have to live long enough to thank him,” she told herself, closing her eyes and allowing herself to rest, even if only for a brief moment.

* * *

***DING***

Once again, the harsh ringing of the elevator roused Ryoko from her slumber. Each time she passed out, it felt like a great amount of time had passed. In reality, however, it was more than likely that she was so exhausted that it simple _felt_ like that. After all, it couldn’t have taken the elevator more than a few minutes to reach this new floor…right?

“I guess I’d better find out,” she complained to herself, forcing her body to sit upright before glancing outside the elevator. 

Once again, the familiar scene of the podiums and throne decorated the room, but the scenery on the walls had changed. Instead of the checkered pattern and red curtains, this debate room sported crescent moons, stark white curtains, and horizontal blue and cyan panels for the walls. The incredibly similar decor disproved Ryoko’s assumption of this being a meeting room, but the debate room idea was still pretty valid.

But…why were there two nearly identical rooms on two separate floors? She was positive the elevator had descended from a higher floor, despite how rattled her mind was due to being hounded by the murderous teddy bear. That being the case, these rooms must have served a distinct purpose, that much was clear. What the purpose was, however, remained a mystery.

However, as Ryoko examined the room, she saw another sign above a wall. It was the ‘In Use’ sigh, but it had yet to light up, just as she predicted.

“Now…how do I get you to open up?” Ryoko said aloud, heading toward the wall under the sign.

As she suspected, once she drew near, the sigh abruptly buzzed loudly and lit up. The wall beneath it split open, like the one before it, and revealed a cement corridor identical to the one on the previous floor. The chilling air that wafted from the corridor gave Ryoko goosebumps, but she fought through it.

“I don’t have any time to waste,” she told herself, clenching her fists and striding down the hallway. Her body still ached from over-exertion, but somehow she managed to trudge along at a decent pace. After all, if she didn’t hurry, that goth girl from the pictures would probably meet the same fate as the others she met here.

It was obvious by now that there was some kind of connection between her and the people from those pictures. It was too much of a coincidence not to be the case. Guilt ate at the back of her mind as she realized that, for some unknown reason, Ryoko had been selected to try and save all of them from being murdered. Or at least, that’s what she surmised.

Why else would she be repeatedly led to their locations? Ryoko speculated that the white haired man who’d drugged her had done the same to them, and they were all being forced to play some kind of messed up murder game. And thus came the guilt.

If she hadn’t hesitated when she saw the torn up dorm room or heard the roar of the motorcycle…maybe she could have done something. Perhaps…if she had acted just a few moments earlier, one or even both of the unfortunate teenagers would still be alive. And while she could rationalize what had happened, explaining to herself that she did what she could with the information on hand…it didn’t take alleviate the pit that formed in her stomach as she began to understand the situation she was in.

“No more hesitating…” she whispered to herself, her pace quickening as she dashed toward the other end of the tunnel. As she neared the exit, she was surprised to discover the room beyond was brightly lit, with blazing light streaming into the corridor. Steeling herself, Ryoko pushed forward into the open area beyond the corridor. “No matter what it is, I need…to…save…”

Words completely failed her as she witness a massive bonfire in the center of the massive room. Enflamed wood was stacked in a circle around a post in the center, the top of it reaching at least twenty feet high! Ryoko’s body quivered as the blazing fire was reflected in her red irises, the flames already licking up to the post so high above the ground.

And there, with a pleasant smile on her face, as if the flames didn’t bother her in the slightest, stood the gothic lolita girl with the twin hair drills. Sweat poured down her face, but she barely seemed to register it, staring upward even as the fire closed in on her from all sides.

“No…No! Not again!” Ryoko shouted, speeding toward the massive bonfire as the flames inched their way closer and closer to the ill-fated goth girl.

After only a few steps, however, her shoe suddenly caught on something. Losing her balance, Ryoko tumbled face first toward the ground, her face slapping into the floor. Briefly glancing back, she discovered that she’d tripped on some kind of panel built into the floor. It was rectangular in shape, but she didn’t bother noting anything beyond that. Whatever it was, it was inconsequential compared to saving that goth girl’s life!

Scrambling to her feet, Ryoko ignored the painful throbbing in her joints as she resumed her march toward the bonfire.

As she neared the blaze, she winced at the onslaught of heat. She couldn’t even get close enough to try and find a way to rescue the girl from this literal witch burning. Every time she tried to inch her way closer, she could feel the fiery temperature burning her skin, even from a healthy distance. Frantically glancing in all directions, Ryoko desperately searched for a way to either extinguish the flames or find an avenue of escape for the girl surrounded by the inferno.

Sadly, before she could find any means of rescuing the goth girl, that familiar malicious laughter caught up with her.

“Upupupupupupupupu…”

Ryoko barely had enough time to dive to the side as the murderous bear creature lunged at her from behind. The bear’s claws swiped, missing Ryoko’s face by a hairsbreadth, and slashing into the bonfire’s base. Flaming bits of wood splattered around Ryoko as she covered her head with her arms, grunting as heat intensified around her.

Gritting her teeth, the amnesiac glanced up at the goth girl atop the burning pile, who was about to be consumed by the rising flames. Shifting her gaze toward the half-and-half bear, who eagerly brandished its claws at her, Ryoko noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The bear’s attack had knocked a burning piece of wood near her foot. It almost resembled a torch, considering that only the top half was currently aflame. Snatching it with both hands, Ryoko shakily rose to her feet and swished it in the bear’s direction.

“Urrrgh! You have the _worst_ timing! You know that?!” she screamed, angling the burning stick toward the menacing murder bear. Completely unfazed by her show of bravado, the malicious murder bear waddled toward her, roaring menacingly as it prepared to strike.

“Take this, you oversized build-a-bear reject!”

Rearing both arms back, Ryoko threw the flaming stick as hard as she could directly at the bear’s face. Unfortunately, with a quick swipe of its claws, the bear batted the flaming wooden stick away with hardly any effort.

“…Well, that could’ve gone better,” Ryoko complained as she turned on a heel and sprinted away from the fast approaching murder bear.

Glancing back over her shoulder, the amnesiac girl let out a frustrated grunt as the flames were almost upon the goth girl. Every fiber of her being told her she needed to find a way to save that sad girl from the rising flames, but with the murder bear hot on her heels, she was completely out of options. Ryoko fought back tears as helplessness began to set in…but that’s when she heard it.

* **WHHRRRRRRR** * **WHHRRRRRRR** *

Ryoko’s eyes widened in shock as the sound of a siren blared in her ears. Far in the distance, seemingly out of nowhere, a bright red firetruck miraculously appeared! And it was headed directly for the bonfire! Wait… _directly_ toward the bonfire?!

A sinking feeling welled up inside Ryoko as she realized that, more than likely, that firetruck _wasn’t_ there to help extinguish the blaze. As if proving her theory, a section of the floor near her began to lift up. Instantly, she recognized it as the strange panel she’d tripped over when first approaching the bonfire. And to her horror, when it finished rising, it created a ramp that was situated directly in front of the raging inferno.

Time almost seemed to slow as Ryoko’s brain rapidly digested this information. As it did, she swiftly formed a plan, a determined expression spreading across her face.

“I hope this works!” she exhaustedly exclaimed, abruptly changing direction and heading toward the ramp.

Peering over her shoulder, Ryoko was only slightly pleased that the murder bear was hot on her trail. Having observed the bear’s behavior for a while now, she’d discovered two important aspects; the bear relentlessly pursued her…and it didn’t have much care for its environment.

She was all but certain it was a machine of some kind, and it most likely wasn’t being remotely operated. It’s clunky movements, endless pursuit, and straight-forward approach to reaching her proved as such. That meant it had some sort of programming that dictated it’s actions. And if her assumptions were correct, Ryoko could use that to her advantage.

Keeping one eye on the bear and the other on the fast approaching firetruck, Ryoko knew she had only one shot to make this plan work!

Reaching the raised ramp, Ryoko’s hands slapped on top of it, using her momentum to leap up and onto the ramp. Once there, she dashed toward the upper end of the ramp, slipping only for a moment as she reached the edge. Eyeballing the distance between the ramp and the burning pyre, she briefly glanced at the girl with twin hair drills.

To her astonishment, the fire still hadn’t quite reached her! With a seed of hope blossoming in her chest, the amnesiac girl whirled around, prepared to face the monstrous…murder…bear?

“W-Where did it go?!” she abruptly shouted, shocked to discover that the relentless bear was no longer following her.

* **SCRRRRAAAAAPE** *

Just barely able to hear it over the roaring siren growing closer to her, Ryoko tensed as the sound of claws tearing into metal reverberated…right behind her! Moving away from the edge, she was only just able to evade a swipe from the bear’s sharp claws as it reach up over the edge she’d just been standing beside!

Losing her footing, Ryoko fell backward onto her butt, sliding halfway down the ramp. Ignoring the pain in her rump, a horrified gasp escaped her as she watched the persistent murder bear climb its way over the edge, looming down at her from atop the ramp’s highest point. Ryoko clicked her teeth, infuriated that she’d made a fatal miscalculation.

In her haste to set up her trap, she’d overlooked the fact that the most direct route to her spot would be by climbing up the ramp itself. She’d expected the bear to follow after her, which would put it in the way of the firetruck and derailed—oh no, the firetruck!

* **WHHRRRRRRR** * **WHHRRRRRRR** *

Wiping her head around, Ryoko suddenly realized she had mere moments to react before she became a blood stain on the massive truck’s underside. Tucking her arms in, she flattened her body and fireman-rolled off the side of ramp. Hitting the ground hard, Ryoko had the wind knocked out of her from the impact alone.

However, a familiar roar from the malicious murder bear forced her to glance up at the ramp. With its claws extended and teeth bared, the bear leaped toward her. Ryoko’s gasped for breath, unable to move or defend herself from the oncoming attack…

* **SLAM** *

Ryoko almost smiled as the front of the firetruck collided with the midair murder bear. The satisfying crunching sound was music to her ears…at least until she realized that the firetruck was still on course. Rolling over so she could look at the burning pyre, Ryoko was forced to watch in horror as the firetruck flew through the air…directly toward the girl with twin hair drills.

“YOU HAVE TO MOOOOOOOOOVE!” Ryoko shouted in vain, her voice nearly giving out.

Unfortunately, the goth girl standing atop the fiery stage didn’t heed her words, stoically glancing at the oncoming death vehicle without a single change in her expression.

* **CRASH** * **CRUNCH** *

The sickening noise of the firetruck slamming into the pile of burning word…followed by an audible crunching sound…informed Ryoko that her plan had failed. Balling her hands into fists, the amnesiac girl let out a shrilled scream, beating her arms against the floor as the pain of failure engulfed her.

“Why…WHY?! Why…didn’t you move…?” she questioned as her arms began to go numb. Slowly ceasing to punish the floor, her vision abruptly blurred. “Why…couldn’t I save you…?”

Hot tears spilled from her eyes, her powerlessness eroding all other feelings. She couldn’t even appreciate the fact that she’d finally managed to destroy the relentless murder bear! If only she’d realized the bear’s methods sooner! If the firetruck had run over the bear, instead of colliding midair with it, it would have veered off course and that girl would still be alive!

“S-Stupid…ugly…bear!” she screamed, her throat hurting as her body was racked with sobs. “I hope…you…burn…to ashes…!”

Sobbing almost uncontrollably, Ryoko only stopped when the sound of shifting wood reached her ears. And it was coming from the now mostly decimated pile of burning wood! Could it be?! Was the goth girl somehow still alive?! Had she managed to avoid the firetruck after all?!

Rubbing her eyes to clear her vision, Ryoko used what little strength she had left to rise to her feet. As she put weight onto her left foot, a sharp pain shot through her ankle. She must have twisted it while evading the murder bear. Walking was gonna be difficult for a while, and running was almost out of the question. But that didn’t deter her from limping toward the still burning wood pile.

However, before she made it even a few steps, that spine chilling laugh echoed once again…from under the burning pyre.

“Upupu…pupupupu…”

* **CRASH** *

Like straight out of a horror movie, the bear’s white paw erupted from underneath the fiery rubble. Ryoko’s entire body trembled as the murder bear slowly began to pull itself out from underneath the wreckage. When it finally emerged, the amnesiac girl finally understood exactly what she was up against.

Large chunks of the bear’s outer layers had been torn off or burned away, revealing a metal endoskeleton beneath its fluffy exterior. The white half of its face was still on fire! As it burned, the wiring underneath became exposed bit by horrifying bit! It’s black paw had been completely stripped of fur, leaving only a metal appendage with razor sharp claws permanently extended. The same was true of its white leg, the metal skeletal appendage sparking as it forced itself to move. 

Despite its broken appearance, the bear seemed completely undeterred, heading directly toward Ryoko.

“Why…” Ryoko seethed through grit teeth, her anger building. “Why won’t you just die already?!”

“Upu…pupupu…”

Horrifyingly, the murder bear’s signature laughter now sounded more mechanical than before, sending waves of anxiety through Ryoko’s body. With little hope that the goth girl with the hair drills had survived, Ryoko begrudgingly turned and began limping her way back toward the cement corridor.

Dragging her injured left leg, Ryoko used the wall for support as she frantically made her way back toward the waiting elevator. Blinking rapidly, she groaned as her vision began to blur again. However, this time she knew it was from exhaustion. She’d reached her breaking point, and as soon as her brain acknowledged it, she felt her strength fading away. Fervently shaking her head, Ryoko forced her weary body onward, inching her way down the corridor.

Behind her, she could hear the mechanical bear catching up with her. Not chancing a glance, Ryoko forced weight down on her injured leg, nearly toppling over from the pain. She thought maybe she could force herself to run, despite the injury, but she was wrong. More than likely, she hadn’t just twisted her ankle. It was probably sprained, a realization that further terrified the grief stricken girl.

In spite of that, Ryoko knew that if she was to have any chance of surviving, she’d need to overcome the pain somehow. The bear was almost upon her, she could hear it closing in on her.

“I won’t…die here!” she reaffirmed, gritting her teeth and preparing to endure the oncoming agony. “Until I tell _him_ thank you… _I won’t let myself die_!”

Gathering all that remained of her willpower, Ryoko pushed off the wall and took off running. The pain shooting through her leg was the most agonizing feeling she’d ever experienced. It was like someone was jabbing a knife into her ankle each time her foot slapped against the ground. However, through sheer force of will, she somehow managed to stay upright as she raced down the cement corridor.

Grunts of agony escaped her, and just when she felt her entire body about to give out, she burst into the debate room once again. The instant her feet hit the carpet; her left leg couldn’t take the strain any longer. Her knee buckled and she toppled forward, her face painfully skidding along the carpet. Her cheek burned, her entire body was wracked with pain, and her vision was all but fading.

It was a miracle then, that somehow despite all that, Ryoko lifted her face and spotted the elevator…exactly as she’d left it.

Sucking in ragged breaths, the determined young woman somehow managed to reach out her arms, pulling herself along the floor at a snail’s pace toward the open elevator. Grunting and groaning, Ryoko refused to give in as she crawled her way to the elevator, grasping onto the sides of the open doors to pull herself inside.

Once inside, she rolled onto her back, lungs burning and body unresponsive. As she lay there, her consciousness fading, she once again heard that ominous laughter ring out.

“Upu…pupupu…”

Ryoko honestly couldn’t tell how close the bear was to her. Her mind swam and she was barely able to make out the image of the elevator’s lever. Reaching one hand out, she repeatedly swiped at it, her blurry vision make it almost impossible to focus on. By now, she could _hear_ the murder bear’s ominous footsteps getting closer and closer. No doubt it was almost at the debate room. And if she couldn’t get the elevator doors closed before then…

With the images of the idol girl, the pompadour guy, and the drill hair girl racing through her mind, Ryoko closed her eyes and reach out one final time to try and grasp the lever.

“…I…won’t…be…a victim!”

Swinging her hand outward, she nearly gasped when her fingers collided with the metal handle. Giving it a downward tug, Ryoko nearly wept as the sound of the elevator roared to life around her, the doors next to her clanging shut. Weakly opening her eyes, Ryoko blinked rapidly to try and clear her vision.

As she did, she nearly gasped. The half destroy murder bear stood right next to her…just on the other side of the elevator doors. With a curious glance, it tilted it’s head, staring at her as the elevator slowly jerked and began to descend once again, quickly causing her to lose sight of the bear.

As the hum of the elevator soothed her frazzled mind, the last of Ryoko’s strength faded from her and she found herself slipping into uneasy unconsciousness…

* * *

Once again, unbeknownst to Ryoko, her actions were being monitored…

“This is going too far! She could be killed!”

“And what if she is? Considering all the suffering she caused—”.

“But it’s not _her_ anymore! Can’t you see that! She’s not behaving anything like—”.

“P-Please calm down! I understand where you’re coming from…but please understand. We need to confirm that her former persona is truly gone. I promise that I’ll do something to increase her chances of survival, but for now, I’m afraid that this is the only way we can be sure…that _she_ isn’t lurking somewhere in the depths of Ryoko’s mind.”

“…Alright. If that’s what it takes to convince you that she’s truly just Ryoko Otonashi…then…”

* * *

“Urhhh…mmmhhh…” Ryoko groaned as her consciousness slowly rose to the surface. It took her a few moments of intense recollection before she even began to recall her situation.

“ _That’s right…the school…the murder bear…I need…to…get…up…_ ”

Even as her mind became active again, her body simply refused to comply. It was like she was made of lead, even the tiniest bit of movement required immense concentration. The struggle of simply opening her eyes felt like a near insurmountable task. Like being buried in an avalanche, desperately trying to claw your way to the surface, but unable to do much more than writhe in place.

Eventually, as her sense of pain made an unwelcome return, Ryoko somehow managed to flutter her eyes open, wincing at the light shining down on her. As her vision cleared, she began to recognize her surroundings. She was still in the elevator, lying on her back, right next to the open doors.

…Wait…open doors? She hadn’t even heard the elevator ding! How long had she been passed out?! Was the murder bear nearby?!

A wave of fear rippled through her, encouraging her to fight against the lethargy that continued to plague her. Inching her way into a seated position, Ryoko’s eyes widened as she once again found herself on a new floor, but with a familiar setup. As with the previous two floor, the sixteen debate podiums and throne were still present, but the curtain’s and walls had been swapped again.

Bright pink curtains and a checked wall with green and blue squares that strangely shifted to pink and yellow as the pattern reached the floor. It couldn’t get more ostentatious than this…

However, there was a single difference this room possessed that the others hadn’t. A wicker basket sat just outside the elevator, practically within arm’s reach. Inside the conveniently placed basket was a bottle of milk and a plastic bag containing what appeared to red bean bun.

Ryoko immediately distrusted the basket’s contents, knowing that nothing was as it seemed in this freaky school. The logical part of her brain concluded that eating ‘anything’ here was a risky venture. Unfortunately, her body growled angrily at her, fighting that instinct and using hunger pains to emphasize it’s point.

It was a difficult dilemma, knowing that if she didn’t eat, she wouldn’t have the strength to continue on anyway. At the same time, if the food was poisoned, she might experience a _very_ agonizing death. However, given her current situation, what choice did she really have?

Her entire body ached, her left leg was numb and unresponsive, and her strength was almost completely gone. If she didn’t eat the mysteriously placed snack, she’d run out of energy soon anyway. And once that happened, she’d either die from exhaustion or fall victim to the constantly appearing murder bear. Neither option seemed promising, but it did give her incentive to consume what might be her last meal.

“…Screw it,” Ryoko eventually gave in, knowing that the possible benefits outweighed the risks.

Crawling a few inches, she reach out and managed to snag the end of the wicker basket, pulling it over and emptying its contents. Her hands shook as she tore open the red bean bun package and forced the whole thing into her mouth. Fresh tears spilled from her eyes as the sweet flavor hit her tongue, chomping down the entire bun in mere moments. Although it was probably due to starvation, Ryoko irrefutably concluded that it was the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted!

As one would expect when you swallow an entire bun in one gulp, she felt it catch in her throat. Pounding on her chest for a moment, she quickly snatched the milk bottle, ripped off the lid, and gulped it down.

*Gulp*Gulp* “Aaaahhhh!” she nearly choked as the milked washed the bun down into her gullet, taking a few solid breaths for the first time since arriving at this floor.

Almost immediately, she felt her energy beginning to return, limited though it was. If the food _had_ been poisoned, it was slow acting. However, she didn’t notice any signs of tampering with either the bottle or bun package…making her feel optimistic. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it now. Her choice had been made, and even if the food only gave her a few more minutes of life, it was worth it.

Deciding to give herself just a few moments to regain her strength, Ryoko apprehensively turned her attention toward her left ankle. Pulling up her sock, she was surprised to see it was a sickening red and purple hue, with a great deal of swelling. However, the most terrifying part was that she couldn’t actually feel it anymore.

Putting on a brave face, she poked at her swollen ankle…nothing.

“That’s not good…I probably fractured the bone,” she concluded, knowing that once feeling returned, it would be even more agonizing than it had been before. She also knew it was too dangerous to try and set the bone, but she didn’t want to leave it as it was.

As her strength slowly began to return, she grasped the right sleeve of her blouse and pulled. It took some effort, but after a few rounds of tugging, she heard the sound of the sleeve ripping. Pulling her arm out of the sleeve, she used both hands to tear the fabric free before slipping her naked arm through the hole.

It felt odd for her arm to be exposed but she ignored it as she used the torn sleeve as a wrapping for her swollen ankle. Snapping one of the small handles on the wicker basket to use as a brace, she tied the woven wood to her ankle using the torn sleeve, creating a makeshift splint for herself.

“Now comes the real test,” Ryoko told herself, pressing her hand against the elevator wall to assist in helping her stand. Getting up onto her right leg was easy enough, but the instant she tried to put weight on her left leg, it gave out, nearly causing her to stumble. “That’s…about what I expected…” she winced, a twinge of pain dully throbbing in her ankle.

Fortunately, for the moment, it seemed that the food had given her enough strength to stand on one leg, limping out of the elevator with the speed of an aged tortoise. She practically hopped on her good leg toward the podiums in the center of the room, grasping onto them for support as she glanced around the room. Spotting her target, she leaned against the nearest podium and sighed.

“Only one left…” she murmured, waiting for the ‘In Use’ sign on the wall in front of her to light up.

By this point, the pattern was clearly established. The last person from the photos, the gamer girl with mauve colored hair, was surely awaiting her down another cement corridor. Ryoko forced down a foreboding feeling of dread as she waited, knowing this was her last chance…in many regards.

Regardless of whether or not she was able to save this girl, Ryoko had already accepted that she wasn’t going to make it out of this school alive. Even if, by some rare miracle, she was able to save the gamer girl, there was no guarantee that the elevator would ever go back up to the surface. And given her current condition, she doubted that she’d survive another encounter with the relentless murder bear.

Destroying the thing _seemed_ possible, given that she’d been able to damage it. But at this point, her chances of discovering a way to permanently decommission it were slim. The freaky thing had taken a firetruck to the face and practically walked it off! Conventional weapons wouldn’t be of any use, not that she’d find any just lying around for her to use.

“What I need is a bazooka…or maybe even a tank!” Ryoko said with a light smile, imagining running the bear over with the massive treads of the aforementioned war vehicle. “Like I’m gonna find something that convenient in this dump…”

The only thing that gave her a semblance of hope was the idea of _actually_ managing to save the gamer girl. But only if Ryoko could somehow find a way around whatever death machine had been set up to annihilate the poor girl. Still, if she could manage to save even one person…maybe that would be enough?

Honestly, she wasn’t sure. But…at the very least, she didn’t want to die a meaningless death. If she was going to die…she’d at least like to feel like her life was worth something. Given her lack of memories, it was all she could really hope for. Not to mention, she still had that promise she wanted to keep.

“Makoto…”

* **BRRRRRRRRRRR** *

The noise from the ‘In Use’ sign attacked her ears, the wall beneath it splitting open the same as the others. The cement corridor beyond no longer scared her, barely feeling a chill as she glared down the empty hallway.

The time for ruminating over her situation was over. She’d need to act fast if she was gonna have any hope of saving the gamer girl…and herself. Like it or not, this was her last chance for salvation.

“Alright…let’s do this!”

Drawing upon what little strength she had left, Ryoko pushed off the podium and began hobbling toward the darkened corridor, slowly making her way to the light at the end of that long tunnel.

* * *

Using the wall to help keep her balance, Ryoko inched her way toward the end of the cement corridor, glancing behind her one final time.

By this point, it was a matter of _when_ not _if_ the mechanical murder bear would show up. And while it always appeared while she was in the ‘death room’, as she had dubbed it. Which meant, more than likely, that it would call the elevator and come down after her. At least, that’s what she assumed the bear must have done, given that there seemed to be no other way to access each floor without the use of the hulking metal box. She needed to be on guard, possibly even set a trap for the bear if given the chance.

The light at the end of this particular corridor wasn’t that bright, and Ryoko could only ponder what awaited her once she stepped into this floor’s ‘death room’.

At first, Ryoko was surprised to see massive rows of desks filling the room. It almost looked like a massive classroom, completed with a very large blackboard, on wheels for some reason, in the center of the room. But a quick scan of the room confirmed her suspicions. This room’s death machine wasn’t terribly complex. A conveyer belt, situated under the blackboard, lead to a massive smashing press.

Simple, yet terrifyingly effective! You definitely wouldn’t want to get caught under that!

At the moment, however, the conveyer belt was motionless, as was the press. From this angle, she could see that ‘something’ was behind the blackboard, another desk if she had to guess. She could also see someone’s shoulder poking out from around the corner. If she were a betting woman, she’d put all her money on the gamer girl.

“Hey! Gamer girl! Are you in here?!” she tentatively called out, just in case it was a rouse set up by the mechanical murder bear. As with the other victims she’d met in this school, no one responded, causing her to stifle a groan. “This would be so much easier if they’d just listen to me!” 

Hopping over to a nearby desk, Ryoko began working her way to the other side of the blackboard. As she neared the other side of the ominous blackboard, which she noticed described sex education…creepy, she called out:

“Seriously, speak up if you can hear me! I’m here to…rescue…you…”

Ryoko nearly lost her footing as she rounded the blackboard, her words catching in her throat. Sitting there at the desk…was the last person she’d ever expected to see here. Instead of the stoic gamer girl, Makoto Naegi sat calmly at the desk, his face pale.

“M-M-Makoto!” Ryoko practically leapt over to the desk he sat at, just barely catching herself. “Y-You’re here! _Why are you here_?! Did the white haired guy bring you here?! Were you attacked by a murder bear too?!”

Her onslaught of questions were met with an almost vacant stare, as if the lights were on but no one was home. It was _beyond_ unsettling! The bright, chipper, hopeful Makoto that she remembered almost seemed like a fever dream compared to the empty shell in front of her.

A new theory suddenly invaded her mind, one that explained the other victims strange silence.

“No way…” Ryoko whispered, glancing down at her wrist where the bracelet used to be. “They drugged them—no, us! All of us! They drugged all of us, didn’t they?!”

That would explain everyone’s weird behavior! Whoever had kidnapped them must have sedated the other victims, which explained why they didn’t try to escape the death machines! Although, that didn’t explain the idol girl’s death, but it at least helped her understand the situation. Maybe Ryoko and the idol girl were supposed to work together to save everyone else, but the bear got to her first? Regardless, this solved at least some of the mysteries that surrounded their situation.

Ryoko had been the only one spared, because she was supposed to save them! But…why? Why go to such length to try and get her to save people she didn’t even know? And why involve Makoto, who wasn’t even in those pictures she’d been show? They knew he was important to her, as the only person to show her kindness since losing her memories, but that didn’t explain why Makoto had taken the gamer girl’s place!

In the midst of her revelation, a soft groan escaped Makoto, drawing her attention back to him.

“Ryoko…it’s almost time…” Makoto spoke slowly, his gaze returning to the blackboard. “…My execution…is about to begin…”

The instant he finished speaking, a jolt from beneath her caused Ryoko to stumble. Latching on to the desk, she was barely able to keep upright as she made a horrifying discovery. The conveyer belt beneath them had activated. Stifling a gasp, her red eyes shot up and widened as the press at the end of the line suddenly came crashing down.

It then lifted back up, and smashed down again, repeating the gesture as she, Makoto, and the blackboard inched their way closer and closer. Fortunately, with the slow speed of the conveyer belt, there was ample time to evade the—

“Upupu…pupupu…”

Ryoko’s entire body tensed the mechanical voice of the murder bear reach her ears. Snapping her head toward the tunnel she’d come from, she winced as she confirmed her previous theory. The maniacal murder bear waddle-ran out of the corridor, briefly glanced around, spotted her, and immediately started making its way toward them.

“Makoto! Get up! It’s time to go!” Ryoko practically shouted, not taking her eyes off the murder bear that was rapidly approaching.

“Why…?” a vacant Makoto answered, his gaze lazily turning back toward her.

“Because _death_ is coming!” she told him, hobbling around to the other side of the desk, prepared to use it as a shield if necessary. “Now get up! Once we got off this conveyer belt, we’ll make a break for—!”

“No…I can’t…” Makoto hazily interrupted her, his voice sounding far away. “I can’t…run from this…neither of us can…”

Ryoko clicked her teeth and clenched her fists. Whatever their kidnappers had put into his system was obviously effecting him to a worse degree than she’d ever imagined.

“Listen Makoto, you’ve been drugged with…something! I don’t know what, but it’s making you think this way! But you _need_ to trust me! I promise I’ll get you out of here, so just—!”

“But Ryoko… _you’re_ the reason I’m being executed…”

“…What?”

Something about his words…hurt her. Like a lingering regret that she didn’t remember having. Was it possible that…the reason all these people were being killed…was because of something she’d forgotten? Had she done something…? Did she piss off the wrong people and now they were taking revenge on her and people she knew before her memory had been erased? Were _they_ responsible for her lost memories?

“ _I’m_ the reason your being executed?! What does that even _mean_?!” Ryoko instinctively questioned, growing more frantic as the pounding of the press and roars of the murder bear began to close in on them.

Frustratingly, Makoto remained silent, not even glancing in her direction anymore. A deep, hollow pressure built up in her chest as she realized the true weight of her memory loss. Until this moment, her lack of memories had been an inconvenience, something she’d just assumed would resolve itself with time. But as she stared at Makoto, devoid of all the things that Ryoko had admired about him…she began to piece it all together.

Everything that was happening…the kidnapping and murders she’d witness…it was all her fault. Even if she couldn’t remember it, someone else did…and they were punishing her for it. If that was the case…

Shaking her head, Ryoko forcefully grabbed Makoto’s head, angled his face so their eyes met, and said, “Look, _if_ we survive this, I’ll take _full_ responsibility! Even if I can’t remember it, even if it’s painful…I’ll own up to it and make amends! But for now, at the very least, _I need you to survive_!”

Shifting her weight, Ryoko pulled Makoto up from his seat, yanked him away from the desk and aggressively shoved him off the conveyer belt. As she did, the mechanical murder bear appeared in front of them, slashing through desk and chair, just barely missing the two of them. The force of the attack knocked her off balance, and she fell onto her butt, a hiss of pain escaping her as her injured leg ached.

Forcing herself to ignore the pain, her gaze snapped over and she watched as Makoto stumbled and fell between the row of desks, away from the death machine’s conveyer belt. Ryoko let out a brief but nonetheless relieved sigh when she saw he was uninjured.

He was safe…Makoto was no longer in danger. Too bad she couldn’t say the same for herself!

The evil murder bear loomed over her, claws extended, red eye flashing madly as it callously laughed at her disheveled state. As the ‘upupupu’ seeped into her ears, Ryoko felt something deep within her snap.

“You stupid bear!” she shouted with gritted teeth, her fear quickly dissipating.

The desk and chair Makoto had been sitting at only a moment ago was in splinters, with pieces of it were scattered all around her…which actually worked out to her advantage!

Reaching out, her hand luckily grasped the broken metal pole that had once been a desk leg. With a mighty swing, she swept the murder bear’s leg out from underneath it, causing the bear to stumble and flop onto it’s back with an audible grunt.

“I have had _enough_ of you!” Ryoko fiercely shouted, using the pole to rise to her feet. Standing over the bear, her red irises flashed as she lifted the pole high into the air. “Take a hint…and leave me _alone_!”

With all her might, she slammed the pole down toward the bear’s head, grunting as it came to a sudden stop. Gasping, Ryoko felt a spine tingling chill as she saw the pole was nestled in the bear’s clenched maw. With a quick snapping of its jaw, the mechanical murder bear _bit the metal pole in half_!

Holding up the tiny remnant of her weapon, Ryoko couldn’t help but whisper, “That…did not go as planned…”

“ROOOAWWWRRR!”

The bear’s unique roar startled her, and she instantly backed up. However, she stopped as an insanely loud crash echoed from right behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, Ryoko was horrified to realize they were almost underneath the massive smashing press! Eye darting between the death trap and the murder bear, hope began to slip away from Ryoko’s mind.

Her last defiant act had failed her, and she was quickly running out of options. With her leg injured, Ryoko knew she’d never be able to outrun the murder bear. Even if by some miracle she managed to outmaneuver it, there was no way she could leave Makoto behind. Disappointment began to set in as Ryoko reluctantly began to accept her fate—

It was then that her sharp hearing picked up on a soft groan, “…Ryo…ko…”

Ryoko’s gaze shifted over toward the voice, a noiseless gasp escaping her. There, lying on his side between the desks, lay Makoto. His hand was outstretched toward her…the faintest bit of resolve returning to his hazel eyes. All of a sudden, time seemed to slow as Ryoko drank in that image, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

“ _He’s such an idiot,_ ” she reminded herself with a smile. “ _Even now, as powerless as he is, he still wants to save me…He hasn’t lost hope…_ ”

Hope…such a tiny fragile thing. And yet, as the image of Makoto was burned into her retinas, Ryoko felt a miniscule bit of warmth spark in her chest. And the longer she gazed at Makoto’s determined visage, the further that warmth spread…until her entire body felt as though it was on fire!

Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed the murder bear preparing to lunge at her, paying close attention to its exposed mechanical leg. At the same time, the metal block of the press had just lifted up. A devious smile tugged at Ryoko’s lips as her mind instantly formed a plan.

“It’s not a tank…but it’ll do!” Facing the bear head on, Ryoko angled the broken metal pole at it and shouted, “Bring it on, ya ugly bear thing! Come and get me!”

Incentivized by her taunt, the mechanical murder bear reared back on its hind legs and lunged forward, it’s claws angled directly toward her throat. Just when it seemed that the bear was actually going to hit it’s mark…Ryoko bent herself backward, only barely dodging the incoming claws.

But that wasn’t the end of it. As the bear began to pass over her, she slammed the broken pole into its exposed mechanical leg. The scrapping of metal buzzed in her ear as she wedged the metal rod between exposed parts of the bear’s leg. Toppling backward onto her back, Ryoko watched as the murder bear flew over top her, landing behind her with a sickening thud.

Rolling onto her stomach, Ryoko glanced toward the murder bear…and grinned.

Somehow, she’d managed to hit her mark. As the mechanical murder bear tried to pick itself back up, it stumbled and fell face first onto the conveyer belt. As if confused, the murder bear glanced down at its mechanical leg, finally noticing the metal rod stuck in it’s joint, effectively crippling it. The bear reached down, as if trying to remove the rod, but as it had no means of grasping anything due to only had paws, the bear could do little more than bat at the metal rod keeping it’s leg locked in place.

With a satisfied smirk, Ryoko chided, “Let’s see how _you_ like only having one functioning leg!”

Swiveling its head, the murder bear’s red eye glowed, almost angrily. Reaching forward with its claws, the mechanical bear dug into the conveyer belt and began to pull itself toward Ryoko. The metal rod in its leg scrapped along the ground with each tug, single-mindedly pursuing its target.

Surprisingly, Ryoko didn’t move in the slightest, patiently waiting as the bear dragged itself closer and closer. As the mechanical murder bear heaved itself forward one last time, finally getting within striking distance of the amnesiac girl, it reared back a claw. However, before it could rend her into meaty chunks, Ryoko’s smirk widened and she pointed a single finger upward.

Perplexed by this development, the mechanical murder bear made the fatal mistake of glancing upward…right as the massive press came crashing down upon it. All the bear could do was tilt it’s head in surprise before it was smashed into oblivion…

* * *

* **CRASH** *

Ryoko watched with grim satisfaction as the mechanical murder bear was mercilessly crushed beneath the press. The metal block was literally right in front of her. She knew she’d been cutting it close, but she figured that, if the bear saw her scrambling away to a safer distance, it might have realized the danger it was in and evaded. However, if she had been a fraction of an inch closer, most of her body would’ve been reduced to a gruesome mess right now.

Nevertheless, her plan had succeeded, and the murderous bear was gone for good…or so she hoped.

“Please be dead, please be dead, please be dead…” she whispered as the press slowly lifted itself up.

To her relief, all that remained were smashed mechanical parts along with smooshed black and white fur. Only the tiniest fragment of the bear’s head had survived, the large red eye that she knew would haunt her nightmares. Thankfully, the light of the red eye flickered for a moment but then dimmed and clicked off…confirming the bear was truly decommissioned.

Out of breath, Ryoko began stumbling to her feet as she said, “Take that…ya stupid—w-whoa?!”

A sudden jolt from beneath her made Ryoko lose her balance as the conveyer belt suddenly resumed its movement. Unfortunately, her injured leg was underneath her and when she fell, her butt landed right on her ankle.

“Gaahh!” she cried out in agony as a white hot pain engulfed her ankle. Then, as her adrenaline ran out, searing pain shot through her not only her leg, but her entire body as the conveyer belt dragged her underneath the giant press. Her eyes widened as she realized that the danger wasn’t over yet.

Knowing there wasn’t much time before the large block smashed her into paste, Ryoko did her best to ignore her barely functioning leg, pulling it out from under her and crawling on her stomach and using her hands and good leg to pull herself toward safety. However, the speed of the conveyer belt was too much for her, and she quickly realized that there just wasn’t enough time to escape.

“No…! I won’t…let it end…like this…!” she proclaimed, fighting with every ounce of her remaining strength to struggle toward safety. “I…found Makoto! The freaky…bear is gone! I can’t…let myself—!”

Despite her determined words, Ryoko good leg accidentally slipped on something, causing her to fall forward, her face slapping into the conveyer belt. Angrily glancing back, she almost scoffed as she saw she’d slipped on some of the murder bear’s scattered pieces. It seemed that, even if it was posthumously, the mechanical murder bear proved to be her undoing.

Hearing a loud clacking sound, Ryoko grunted as she rolled onto her back, staring up at the massive smashing press that had just returned to it’s top-most position. The conveyer belt jerked to a stop, but she didn’t have the strength to escape…not entirely anyway. It was possible that, if she hurried, the press would only crush her legs, leaving the rest of her unscathed. However, she’d bleed out in moments…very painful moments.

Compared to having her entire body crushed instantaneously…this was definitely the better option. Although obviously not her desired outcome, Ryoko did her best to try and comfort herself.

“At least…Makoto’s safe,” she consoled herself, glancing back at him one last time before staring upward, waiting for death to come crashing down on her. “I never did find out…who I am…but I guess…it doesn’t matter now…”

Closing her eyes, Ryoko took a deep breath and listened as the gears of the press turned and the sound of the press being released reached her ears. A pocket of air whooshed over her and she winced in preparation for the sudden end to her life…

…

…

…

…Nothing. She hadn’t heard or felt the impact of the press, but that didn’t surprise her. Her death was more than likely instantaneous, with little to no time to recognize what was happening. Is that why she felt like she was floating in a sea of nothingness? She didn’t dare to open her eyes, however, as she didn’t want to be mistaken and witness the moment her body was mashed into paste.

At the same time…she was breathing. She could _feel_ air passing through her lungs, unable to hold her breath any longer. If she already dead, why would she need to breathe? What kind of realistic afterlife had she been thrust into?

After a few moment of mental deliberation, Ryoko bravely decided to open a single eye to survey her surroundings. As her red iris slowly opened, the other soon followed, snapping open as both eyes frantically took in the strange sight around her.

Surrounding her was a strange kind of void…almost like a loading screen in a video game. Lines of what appeared to computer coding flickered in and out all around her. Her body floated there, as if gravity did exist. Also, she noticed that all her pain was suddenly gone! Surprisingly, her strength had mysteriously returned, and she was able to sit up, as much as possible while floating anyway, and look at her injured leg.

She nearly gasped as she saw that her splint was gone! Her clothes were still there, but the wrappings of her bandage were nowhere in sight! Plus, all the swelling in her leg was completely healed!

“…W-Why? How?! I almost positive I fractured my ankle!” Ryoko stammered, confused beyond compare. Surveying her surroundings again, she desperately tried to piece together something that made sense. “I was just in the school…but now I’m in the matrix or something? If this is the afterlife, I want a refund—!”

“Well done, Ryoko Otonashi! I knew you could do it!”

A creepily familiar voice interrupted her, the voice echoing from all directions simultaneously. Before she could say anything, a bright flash appeared before her, forcing her shield her eyes. When the light dimmed, Ryoko lowered her hand and frowned.

“You’re here too! Looks like I can’t get rid of you even if death, ya creepy rabbit thing!”

Floating just a few feet away from her, Magical Miracle Girl Usami waved her magic stick and smiled widely. Stifling a laugh, the creepy rabbit thing said, “Silly! This isn’t the afterlife. You’re still very much alive!”

“I kinda thought so…” Ryoko begrudgingly admitted, glaring daggers at the rabbit. “But that doesn’t explain why the hell I was in that school, and why I’m floating in an online lobby looking place!”

Truth be told, she had several theories, but preferred to get the answer straight from the horse’s—err, _rabbit’s_ mouth! However, it seemed that Usami wasn’t taking the bait.

Waving her magical girl stick, the creepy rabbit thing answered, “Don’t worry. Everything will be explained as soon as you wake up…”

“‘Wake up’…?” Ryoko questioned with a raised brow. “What do you mean ‘wake up’—”.

In the midst of her questioning, Ryoko felt the world around her shift. Well, more like, the world began to disappear! The space around her began closing in, changing from an endless expanse to a rapidly vanishing space! More and more code was visible, but it was seemingly being deleted!

“H-Hey! What going—?!” she tried to ask but found that Usami was gone…as if she’d never been there in the first place. “You stupid rabbit thing! Don’t just leave me here!”

Ryoko tried to swim through the air but found herself unable to move, trapped in this floating space that was quickly disappearing. Her breath hitched as the world around her grew smaller and smaller…until only she remained. Just as she was concerned that her body would be swallowed up by the nothingness…words flashed in front of her vision.

**NEO WORLD PROGRAM…DISCONNECT**

Before her mind could even begin to process this, her consciousness suddenly darkened as she was completely swallowed by the erasure of the world.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, my beautiful readers! I bet most of you saw that ending coming, at least in one way or another! I hope there were some surprises along the way, and I hope you enjoy the final part coming at the end of the week!
> 
> As always I appreciate comments/reviews! If you have some theories as to what’s going to happen, feel free to share them! Take care of yourselves and keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up from the simulation, Ryoko is forced to confront her forgotten past...

…

…

…Darkness…

Her whole world was darkness. Nothing appeared before Ryoko as her eyes fluttered open, only an eternal void of nothingness. It was reminiscent of the void she’d been floating in just a few moments ago…but as she tried to move around she found herself restrained.

She quickly realized she was sitting in a chair…her arms and legs strapped down…with a heavy device attached to her head! Inadvertently, her mind was brought back to the moment where her memories started…and the eerie similarities were enough to inspire a wave of nauseating panic.

“N-NO! NOT AGAIN!” she abruptly yelled, shaking her head and struggling against her restraints. However, no matter how hard she tugged her arms or tried to thrash her legs, they remained rooted to the posts of the chair. “L-LET ME GO! SOMEONE! ANYONE! PLEASE—!”

“C-Calm down, Ryoko! You’re okay! I promise!” a frantic but familiar voice cut through her frightened screams, and she paused just long enough for them to continue. “I’ll take the helmet off. Just…gimme a second…”

She felt gentle hands reaching under her chin, unlatching something, and mercifully pulling the device from her head. A bright light stung her eyes, causing her to wince as they slowly adjusted. As her vision slowly came back to her, she finally caught a glimpse of the individual who’d called out to her.

Even before seeing him, Ryoko knew who it was that came to her rescue…just like he had that fateful day.

“M-Makoto! Y-You’re alright!”

Makoto Naegi, dressed in a freshly tailor suit, stood before her, smiling down at her with warm eyes. “Yeah, I am,” he told her, his tone cautious for some reason. “Sorry but I need to ask, how are you feeling? Any dizziness or headaches?”

Ryoko was visibly taken aback. They finally reunite after so long and _that’s_ the most pressing issue? Assuming that he must have a good reason, she slowly answered, “N-No…not really. I’m a bit uncomfortable though.”

Using her eyes, she gestured toward the restraints on her arms and legs, more than a little hopeful. Sadly, the grim expression on Makoto’s face told her all she needed to know, even before he answered her.

“Sorry about that…we should be able to—”.

“That is enough, Makoto Naegi. Step away from her.”

Ryoko’s entire body tensed as the voice of the mysterious white haired man invaded her ears, her eyes snapping over to the voice’s origin point. Only now did she get a good look at exactly where she was.

A large auditorium of sorts, with a monitor the size of a movie theater screen. A long conference table sat at least 20 feet away from where she and Makoto were positioned, with the white-haired mystery man standing just behind it. Despite the numerous seats at the table only a single older gentleman was seated there, cautiously glancing at her from behind a stylish pair of glasses. She could hear a shuffling of feet behind her, but there was no way to know how many; probably security if she had to guess.

Ryoko had no earthly idea how she’d gone from floating in a void to strapped into what appeared to be another electric chair. What’s more, a swift glance at her arm startled her, as she noticed an IV stuck into the top of her hand. There didn’t seem to be anything connected to it, which was only a partial relief.

Like it or not, she was completely strapped down, with no way to escape. On top of that, the white-haired man was glaring at her with a fierce determination…and an ominous intent.

“Munakata, you saw what happened in the simulation,” Makoto abruptly challenged him, as if try to appeal to the menacing man. “There’s no reason for us to keep her restrained like this—”.

“On the contrary, there is _every_ reason to keep her restrained,” the white haired man, Munakata, interjected, his authority seemingly unchallengeable. “You of all people know what she is capable of. If we do not take the utmost caution in dealing with her, then we will surely regret it.”

Ryoko expected Makoto to balk at that assertion…but instead he became oddly silent. He was acting…meeker than usual, and it wasn’t hard to figure out why. Unwilling to wallow in ignorance, Ryoko turned toward her fellow ‘survivor’, hesitating for only a moment.

“Makoto…please. I need to know the truth,” she said fervently, feeling a twinge of guilt as he flinched. Pushing past it, she insisted, “What’s this simulation you mentioned? Was everything that happened inside the school some kind of hallucination or—?”

“No…it was real. But at the same time…it wasn’t,” Makoto slowly answered, glancing at Munakata who didn’t seem interested in stopping him. Obviously taking that as an invitation to continue, Makoto turned to face Ryoko directly. “It’s…a kind of virtual reality simulation. We call it the ‘Neo World’ program. It’s designed to…help people overcome trauma and…recover lost memories.”

As he explained everything, Ryoko began to understand. The school had been a simulation…and the helmet she’d been wearing had made her experience the simulation as if it were real. Probably using a combination of neurology and therapy, if she had to guess. The science of it was fascinating to consider, but she was exactly in the mood to speculate.

At the moment, she felt a swirling of different emotions; relief that she hadn’t actually failed to save the others from execution, frustration at why she’d been put in there without her knowledge, and confusion about why the simulation was so dangerous! If she had died in the simulation…would she have died in real life?

It was entirely possible, because if her brain was convinced she’d died, it might shut down…which would most likely put her into a coma, from which she’d never awaken. In a way, it was a fate far worse than death…

More than anything else though, something about what Makoto just told her seemed off.

“Okay so…I think I understand the whole…simulation thing…but you said it was _designed_ to help people recover their memories. Well…I still have no idea who I am!” She tried not to sound disappointed, but it was difficult to hide. To her shock, Makoto seemed almost relieved that her memories hadn’t returned, which caused her chest to tighten. “But _you_ do…don’t you, Makoto?”

She paused, a wave of anxiety rippling through her as he pursed his lips but continued to remain silent. Unable to stop herself, Ryoko pressed the issue further.

“You know _everything_ about me, don’t you? You know who I am…why I was in the school…and why I’m the only one being held hostage…don’t you?” Her words were like fire, slowly burning into Makoto, who only grew more and more distant as she spoke. Then, a horrifying thought occurred to Ryoko…one she couldn’t help but voice. “You knew who I was from the start…didn’t you? From the moment we met…you knew _exactly_ who I was…and you purposefully didn’t tell me…that’s the truth, isn’t it?”

With a pained visage, Makoto stared at the floor and said, “…I’m sorry.”

The moment he averted his gaze, her chest abruptly ached…feeling more than betrayed. It became a struggle to breathe. Her body trembled. She felt like crying…but no tears came. The person who had rescued her…the person who gave her hope in the darkest times…had lied to her…deceived her…from the very beginning.

“Why…Why did you lie to me?!” she exclaimed, the hurt overtaking her reason. “Were you trying to protect me or something?! Did you used to know me?! After everything I’ve been through, I have the right to know—!”

“On that, we can agree,” the jerk, Munakata, interrupted, drawing both of their attention. With a steely gaze focused entirely on Ryoko, the white haired man continued, “I believe it’s time for you to understand the gravity of your crimes.”

…

…

“Crimes…?” Ryoko barely choked out the word, an ominous chill seizing her body.

“Munakata, wait!” Makoto unexpectedly protested, momentarily glancing back toward Ryoko with a look she could only interpret as pity. “The memory restoration didn’t work. It wouldn’t be fair to Ryoko if we—”.

“‘Fair’, you say?” the white haired man challenged, his eyes flashing dangerously. “You believe we should show her pity and compassion when she spared none for her victims? Let me ask you; would doing so be considered ‘fair’ to the mountain of corpses her actions have wrought?”

“I-It’s not that!” Makoto protested, turning to face Munakata head on. “I just think that we need to consider—”.

Ryoko tuned out as the two men continued to debate…her mind reeling as Munakata’s words reverberated in her head. ‘Victims’? ‘Mountain of corpses’? Just…how many people had she screwed over before she lost her memories?! She would have thought it all a sick joke, if she hadn’t been detained and treated like a criminal for the last few weeks.

Not to mention…this Munakata guy didn’t seem like the type of person to throw out baseless accusations. And the fiery hatred he held for her…sadly lent credence to his words.

“That is enough, we are done discussing this matter,” Munakata’s harsh tone cut through her thoughts, simultaneously silencing Makoto as well. “Keeping the truth hidden will only serve to benefit Despair. It is time that this woman faced the consequences for her actions.”

Makoto opened his mouth to protest again, but a sudden movement startled him. From behind both of them, a blur flew forward, colliding with Makoto and knocking him to the ground. There, standing over him, as imposing as ever, was the man in the furry coat who had assaulted her back at the school. Munakata had called him ‘Sakakura’, and the mere sight of him caused Ryoko to tense.

“M-Makoto!” she called out, biting back her panic as concern flooded her. Even though he’d betrayed her… _lied_ to her, Ryoko still felt indebted to Makoto. And seeing him being punished for standing up for her was more than she could bear.

“I-I’m…alright—urgh!”

As the kind-hearted Makoto tried to reassure her, Sakakura descended upon him, pinning him to the ground while holding an arm behind his back.

“Just shut up and stay quiet. Do that, and maybe I’ll let you keep all your teeth,” the violent man seethed, slapping a hand atop Makoto’s head and pressing his face into the floor. Once it was obvious that Makoto could no longer interfere, Sakakura nodded toward Munakata.

Nodding back, the white haired jerk, turned and focused his attention on Ryoko once more, glaring at her with what could only be malicious intent.

“Ryoko Otonashi…before we detail your crimes, I believe it is necessary to show you the true state of the world.”

“T-The state of the—?”

Before she could finish, Munakata picked up a remote from the table in front of him and pressed a button, the large monitor across from her roaring to life. It took only a few moments before various images began to appear…seemingly straight out of hell. Carnage. Ruined cities. A blood-red sky. People dead in the streets. Blood…so much blood. Ryoko choked back bile, only just able to keep herself from vomiting at the sight of such horrifying devastation.

And in each and every picture…the psychotic murder bear from the ‘simulation’ was depicted everywhere.

People wore masks with the bear’s visage, mercilessly slaughtering fleeing civilians and destroying property. A gigantic murder bear robot smashed a building into pieces. It was almost as if the murder bear was some sort of cult leader, and it’s followers were spreading it’s doctrine of despair.

“W-What…is all this?” Ryoko squeezed out, her voice cracking and eyes widening.

Without a hint of mercy, Munakata answered, “This is the current state of the world. The peaceful world you might have known is no more. In its place, this Despair ridden wasteland is all that remains.”

“B-B-But h-how?!” she stammered, unable to believe what she was witnessing could be real. “I may not have any memories, but I know that the world didn’t used to be like this! What happened?! Who…Who did this?”

Even as she asked that, an ominous conclusion seeped into her mind…one that Munakata swiftly confirmed.

“Quite an ironic question, considering the part you played in the world’s destruction.”

As hard as she tried to deny it, something deep inside told her knew that he was right. All of the pieces were falling into place, and like it or not, the answers she’d sought for so long were about to be thrust upon her.

Pressing another button on the remote, the screen suddenly changed…now displaying a portfolio page…with Ryoko’s face at the top.

“Ryoko Otonashi. The Ultimate Analyst,” Munakata read aloud, his voice stern and matter-of-fact. “You were scouted by Hope’s Peak Academy, a government funded school dedicated to researching and cultivating talent. You attended the school for only a few months…before revealing your true intentions.”

“T-True intentions?” she repeated, her brain on autopilot as she absorbed this information.

With a brief glare shot in her direction, Munakata continued, “Yes, your true intentions…to cover the world in Despair and destroy humanity as we know it—”.

“N-No! That can’t be true!” she refuted, shaking her head profusely. “I…There’s no way I would ever do something so—”.

“ _Ehehehe…Ahahahahahahahaha!!_ ”

Ryoko’s eyes widened as the sound of her own voice, cackling manically, reverberated in her ears. Snapping her head up, she gasped as she witnessed the new display on the monitor. It appeared to be a security camera feed. On it, Ryoko immediately recognized herself…covered in blood…standing over someone’s corpse…repeatedly slamming her heel into the body!

The bloody Ryoko on the screen continued to laugh hysterically, seeming to revel in the fact that she was brutally tenderizing some poor man’s skull. She didn’t recall the location displayed or even the clothes she wore in the video. And even if the corpse’s face _hadn’t_ been mutilated by her repeated stomping, she doubted that she’d recognize the person the ‘Ryoko’ in the video had murdered.

“ _M-Murdered…? Did…Did I really…?_ ”

Ryoko drew in short gasps, panic settling in despite how much she fought to remain calm. Then again, how could she?! That was her! Unmistakably. Undeniably. HER! But…she had no memory of doing _anything_ like that! Not to mention the fact that even the very sight of it churned her stomach, a wave of nausea overtaking her.

“This footage was salvaged from Hope’s Peak Academy’s surveillance system. Not long after, what would become known as the biggest, most awful, most despair inducing incident; otherwise known as The Tragedy, began to occur.”

As Ryoko listened to the absurdly long title, the images of worldwide destruction replayed on the screen…this time with audio. The scream of innocent lives being ended, the maniacal laughter of the perpetrators, the disturbing sounds blood and gore splattering as it painted the landscape…all of it was reflected Ryoko’s horrified eyes.

“In time, we discovered that a small group calling itself the Ultimate Despair was responsible for all of these incidents.” Munakata shifted his attention back to Ryoko, locking eyes with her and practically seething. “And you, Ryoko Otonashi, were a key member of that group.”

Somewhere, deep in the recesses of her mind…Ryoko knew what he said was true. She had no idea how or why she knew that…but there was no denying that she _knew_ his accusation was accurate. At the same time, with every fiber of her being, she _wanted_ to deny it. The person she was now…and the bloody ‘Ryoko’ she’d been shown on the monitor…they were like two different people! How could she ever accept that…that… _that was who she used to be_!

Her body felt cold, unable to accept reality…or more accurately… _unwilling_ to accept the truth on display in front of her. Averting her gaze, she found herself glancing toward Makoto, who stared at her with a combinations of sympathy and pity in his eyes. This was the truth he’d kept from her…

“As you can see, we have proof of your involvement in this matter,” Munakata spoke up, his voice strangely even and calm. However, in an instant, his expression shifted and a seething, yet quiet rage overtook his visage. “You and your cohorts infiltrated Hope’s Peak Academy in order to undermine the very foundations of our society. And, obviously, you succeeded—”.

“B-But…how is that even possible!” Ryoko protested, desperately trying to deny this information. “You said the Ultimate Despair was a small group, right? How would they have the resources or ability to—”.

“You, of all people, should already know the answer to that question,” Munakata interrupted, his fierce gaze intensifying.

For a moment, all Ryoko could do was shake her head in confusion. _She_ should already know the answer? She barely knew _anything_ about herself! All she knew as that her name was Ryoko Otonashi and that she’d been scouted by some fancy school for—

A gasp escaped her as her mind pieced it together, “…Ultimate Analyst.”

With an annoyed huff, Munakata continued, “It is as you suspect. You’re talent for analysis goes far beyond what even _you_ can currently comprehend. With such a keen mind, it was, sadly, all too easy for you to achieve your objectives.”

Even though it kind of sounded like praise, it was obviously meant as an insult. Not to mention, she didn’t exactly enjoy being praised for helping to cause the apocalypse. However, would her analytical talents really be enough? There had to be something… _more_ to all of this. Her talent alone shouldn’t have been able to inspire such…such…madness! Something else must have happened…something that led the world on the path to self-destruction…but what could that be?

As she pondered what that something could be, Munakata elaborated further.

“Fortunately for us, it appears that your analytical abilities have diminished somewhat. Your actions while inside the simulation demonstrated that.”

“W-What?!” His statement broke through her thoughts, inspiring even more confusion.

Clicking the remote again, ‘camera’ footage of her inside the school, or the simulation as she now knew it to be, was displayed on the monitor. It showed her chasing after the idol girl, narrowly escaping the murder bear, and heading for the elevator.

As the video continued to play, Munakata explained, “In the past, your analytical abilities have proven to be almost superhuman. During your time at Hope’s Peak, you successfully evaded the attacks of a professional bodyguard…without even glancing in his direction. And yet, when under near identical circumstances…you struggled to survive when pitted against the anomaly that occurred within the simulation.”

Absorbing this info, everything began to fit into place in Ryoko’s mind. If she truly was this ‘Ultimate Analyst’, it finally explained who she just… _knew_ things! Her brain was able to comprehend new information near instantaneously and put that information to practical use…and it happened seemly automatically! Sadly, this only reinforced the argument against her.

Simultaneously, Ryoko’s brain instantly picked up on the word _anomaly_. Unable to ignore that remark, she instead asked, “Wait… _anomaly_? Are talking about the freaky bear thing? Does that mean that…you _didn’t_ sic that psychotic murder-obsessed bear on me?!”

Without a change in expression, Munakata answered, “That is correct. The appearance of Monokuma wasn’t expected, and we suspect it manifested as a result of your memory loss. Think of it as the last remnants of who you used to be.”

Monokuma? The last remnants of who she used to be? Her head began to ache and although she felt like she _should_ know more about what that bear was supposed to represent…it was like there was a hole in her mind. Had she…killed a part of herself when destroying the murder bear—err, Monokuma? It all sounded far too poetic to be true…

“So this…Monokuma…the anomaly…it showed up on its own? Why would something like that even exist in—?”

“I can answer that for you!”

A startled gasp escaped Ryoko as the creepily cute voice of Usami sounded from behind her. Unable to turn around, she could only sit and wait as the sound of spinning wheels suddenly sounded. Coming into view on her right side, Ryoko was surprised to see a young woman with short blue-ish green hair, driving an electric wheelchair. The young woman had a long red scarf obscuring her face, making her hard to read…but the most shocking part was the monitor that was on the front of the wheelchair!

And on that monitor was the image of her ‘interrogator’, Magical Miracle Girl Usami!

“Hello, Ryoko! Nice to officially meet you!” Usami said before gesturing toward the young woman in the wheelchair. “My real name is Miaya Gekkogahara and I’m speaking to you through this avatar. I was formally known as the Ultimate Therapist and I helped design the Neo World Program.”

The young woman, Gekkogahara, nodded politely but didn’t actually speak, which kind only served to perplex Ryoko even more! Despite a slew of other questions, the amnesiac decided to focus on getting her current inquiries answered.

“Okay, okay, stop! I’m…getting so confused,” Ryoko told her, trying to get things back on track. “You mentioned…knowing about the anomaly, right? Just…what _was_ that thing and why was it trying to kill me?”

To this, Gekkogahara, or rather her avatar Usami, grew visibly disturbed. “Honestly…I’m not sure exactly _how_ the anomaly was formed. My best theory is that the Monokuma you met came into existence when we tried to forcibly reawaken your memories…”

Usami paused, the entire wheelchair turning in Munakata’s direction. Staring at him, as if asking for permission, Gekkogahara waited until the white haired man nodded firmly at her before she resumed speaking through Usami.

“…However, it seems that the memory erasure was almost 100% complete. Frankly, the fact that you can remember the name Ryoko Otonashi is astounding. That being said, it seems that the Monokuma you encountered was a physical representation of the despair you used to cling to. As for why it was trying to kill you…I believe it was trying to keep you from embracing any form of hope.”

Despite how confusing this should have been, Ryoko was able to follow along with what Gekkogahara was telling her. That was probably due to her analytical abilities, a blessing and curse it would seem.

“So…what happens now that’s gone? If I ever go back into that…Neo World Program, you called it? If I ever go back in there, will I…have to deal with it again?”

Pondering for a moment, Usami slowly answered, “It’s very…doubtful. The anomaly only came about because we tried to forcibly reawaken your memories. Besides, we no longer have a need for you to enter the program, as we verified that your memories have been completely expunged from you brain.”

Ryoko felt an odd mixture of relief and sadness upon hearing that. Apparently, no matter what she tried, it seemed that her old memories were gone for good. At the same time, considering all the horrific things she was being accused of, she wasn’t sure that was necessarily a bad thing! After all…who wanted to remember being a psychotic murderer?!

“Well, that’s…good to know, I guess. But…what _would_ have happened if the freaky bear thing—err, Monokuma had…killed me?”

Honestly, a part of her didn’t really want the answer to that question. However, given everything else she’d just learned about herself, she doubted that the answer could be worse than learning she’d used to be a murderer.

The Usami avatar gave her a concerned glance and remained silent for a moment. Eventually, however, she answered, “The simulation wasn’t designed with the possibility for death to occur, so this is merely speculation. But in all likelihood, your brain would have registered you as deceased and shut down.”

“Brain death…” Ryoko whispered, before a new thought entered her mind. “What about everyone else I saw in the simulation? Were they connected to the machine too or was I the only one in there?”

A part of her hoped that the people she saw were merely constructs of the simulation. If they had been actual people connected to the simulation and had ‘died’ there…that meant they would all be brain dead…because she couldn’t rescue them in time. The guilt that had been crushing her would have the faintest bit of relief if they weren’t actually real, and that was all she could hope for at the moment.

Hoping against hope, Ryoko waited as Gekkogahara silently pondered…as if she was trying to find a way to avoid answering that question. Just then, instead of Gekkogahara, an abrupt interruption from Munakata utterly crushed her hopes. 

“We designed the simulation in order for you to personally witness the massacre you forced upon your classmates from Hope’s Peak. So, while you were not _directly_ responsible for their deaths, the fact remains that all of the deaths you witnessed in the simulation came about due to your influence.”

Ryoko’s face blanched and her breath hitched. Again, due to her analytical prowess, she found more reasons to lose respect for herself. She wasn’t truly surprised…not anymore. Her inclinations that she’d been somehow responsible for the deaths of the idol girl, the biker guy, and the goth lolita chick…were spot on. The Makoto in the simulation probably wasn’t the real him…but merely something she put him through in the past.

And if that was the case…then he had absolutely no reason to care for her as much as he had. She glanced at him again, fighting back tears as she began to realize the extent to which she must have traumatized him. Before she could vocalize her regrets, however, Munakata spoke up again.

“That will be all, Ms. Gekkogahara. You are dismissed,” Munakata said to former Ultimate Therapist, waving his hand in her direction.

“Let me know if you need my services again. I’d be glad to help,” Gekkogahara spoke through Usami before her wheelchair spun around and she began moving back out of sight. Passing by Ryoko, the restrained girl heard Usami gently whisper as she passed, “Good luck.”

Unable to question her before she disappeared from sight once more, Ryoko listened as the sounds of a door opening and closing signaled Gekkogahara’s departure from the room.

Once she was gone, Munakata resumed the interrogation with renewed determination.

Suddenly, the images on the screen changed once more. This time, camera footage showed sixteen teenagers, all of them nervously standing in what appeared to be a gymnasium. She instantly recognized Makoto, his fellow survivors, and the three others she’d failed to save in the simulation…but beyond that, she didn’t recognize anyone else.

“After the destruction of society, the only survivors of Hope’s Peak Academy barricaded themselves in the ruins of the school…not knowing that you had tricked them into doing so. You then forced them all to play a killing game, ‘The School Life of Mutual Killing’. That is what you called it.”

Munakata flipped through disturbing images of the students either murdering each other…or being execution in horrific ways. A young girl who’s head was smashed with a dumbbell by the biker. An overweight young man bringing a hammer down on an unsuspecting white haired student. A tall muscular woman drinking what appeared to be poison, vomiting blood and collapsing onto a seat behind her. The images were so graphic…and there was no denying that they were real. Ryoko choked back bile as Munakata turned to address her.

“You and the rest of Ultimate Despair broadcast this on every airwave still active. And you, Ryoko Otonashi, not only designed it, but served as the Mastermind behind it—”.

“B-But why?!” Ryoko frantically shouted, desperation taking over as her sanity began crack. “Why would…why would I do something like that?! I-I mean, the world was already destroyed, right? Th-There would be no reason to—”

“Because…that is what you and rest of the Ultimate Despair _desired_. To spread your Despair to as many people as possible. Nothing more…and nothing less.”

As Munakata’s heartless words sank into her ears…Ryoko felt the last bit of her sanity slipping away from her. If everything she’d been told was true…she was responsible for the deaths of not only those poor teenagers…but most of the world! The regret she’d felt over not saving those three from the simulation didn’t even compare to the agonizing guilt that was crushing her very soul!

The very idea…that she could be capable of such… _unforgiveable_ crimes…it didn’t even seem possible! What…had happened to make her act that way? Was there some kind of deep-seeded trauma or…a desire to change the world or…was Munakata right? Had she really helped to ruin so many lives…purely for the sake of despair?

With her current mindset, such an idea seemed unfathomable. She had no desire to hurt anyone! And if that was the case…she honestly felt better off never getting her memories back—

“With all that said, it is now time for you to face the consequences of your actions.”

Munakata’s voice cut through her thoughts, his words sending a chill down her spine.

“W-What do you mean?” she fearfully asked, already understanding what he was implying.

With an almost malicious stare, Munakata stepped around from behind the table and said, “During your time in the simulation, you told Makoto Naegi that ‘even if you didn’t remember anything, you would take responsibility and make amends’. Well, the time has come for you to do just that…and accept your execution.”

Ryoko’s entire body trembled as Munakata produced a syringe from his breast pocket and began walking toward her. Instinctively, she began fighting against the restraints holding her down, but found herself unable to so much as loosen them. They must have anticipated this outcome from the beginning…that’s why they refused to let Makoto free her!

“E-Execution?! B-But I…I don’t even remember _doing_ any of—”.

“That is irrelevant,” Munakata cut in, his steely eyes focusing on her with near murderous intent. “Regardless of your memories, the fact remains that you are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Such a crime cannot…and will not, be overlooked.”

“T-There must be some other way! I-I can’t make amends if I’m dead!” Ryoko pleaded, fighting even harder to break free, but to no avail. Her gaze shot around the room, eventually falling onto the older gentleman still sitting at the table. “Sir! Sir, please! I’ll do anything! _Anything_! Just please…don’t do this to me!”

In spite of her pleas, the older gentleman simply sat there, his expression neutral as he surveyed the execution.

“Death is all that is required of you, at this point.” Munakata mercilessly told her, startling her as he now stood over her, preparing to dispense ‘justice’.

“M-Munakata, wait! That’s not what you promised!” Ryoko’s eyes shot over to see Makoto, barely able to lift his head, shouting at her white haired executioner. “You said that if we proved that she didn’t have any despair in her, you’d—!”

“That’s enough outta you!” Sakakura shouted over him, lifting his face and slamming it into the floor. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like Makoto was bleeding, but he would definitely be feeling it tomorrow.

Sadly, Ryoko was in too much of a panic worry about him at the moment. Squirming in her seat, she watched as Munakata took the lid off the syringe and picked up the IV attached to her arm. Connecting them, he slowly began pushing the end of the syringe, the liquid inside making its way slowly toward her exposed veins.

Watching in absolute horror, tears spilled from Ryoko’s eyes as she begged, “No…No! Stop! Stop it! Please! Please don’t do this!” Munakata completely ignored her and quickly worked to empty the syringe. Just before the liquid was about to reach her, Ryoko openly sobbed. “I…I’m not ready! I’m…I’m scared…! P-Please….I…want to live! I…don’t want to die!”

However, no matter how fervently she pleaded, it was only a matter of moments before she felt the unknown liquid reach her veins. A cold sensation overtook her arm, spreading throughout her entire body. A frantic gasp escaped her, and she suddenly felt a strange sensation come over her. Her perception of time seemed…wanky. As if it was moving fast and slow in the same instant.

Was this…what it felt like to die? No…she didn’t want this. She wanted…well, it didn’t matter what she wanted anymore. Against her will, she found herself giving into the sensation…unwilling accepting that her time had come to an end.

“You have only a few moments left,” Munakata told her, his voice piercing into her mind somehow. “I suggest you use them wisely.” 

A few moments, huh? That was hardly enough time to do anything…well, not quite. There was one thing…the one thing she’d promised herself…there was just enough time…for that at least.

Slowly shifting her gaze, her bright red irises focused on Makoto. Even with his face pressed into the floor, he still stared up at her, a mixture of horror and concern marring his features. Seeing that, Ryoko had a sudden realization. She now understood why he’d kept the truth from her. In her current state, freed from whatever destructive impulses that had led her astray in life…learning the truth so early would have devastated her. So, even though he had to lie to her about everything…Makoto had done his best to try and protect her from the truth.

It couldn’t have been easy…trusting someone you knew was a murderer…but he did so anyway…regardless of the dangers involved…and she would be forever grateful for it. Through the waterfall of tears streaming down her face, a melancholy smile appeared on her lips as she finally fulfilled her promise.

“Thank you…Makoto. Thank you for…believing in me...for showing me kindness.” Her smile broke as sobs began wracking her body. Desperately trying to get the words out, even as her body worked against her, she somehow managed to say, “And…even though…I can’t remember it…I’m so sorry for what I did to you! Forgive me!”

Hanging her head low, as if bowing to him, she let out a breath she’d been holding…prepared for her end to come. However, just before she felt like the end was upon her…she heard his voice.

“Ryoko…there’s nothing to forgive. You’re…not who you used to be. And I will always believe that!”

Somehow able to lift her head, Ryoko stared into his hazel eyes. And for the first time since she’d learned of it, she was grateful for her analytical ability…because she could see that he meant every word. His words gave her the tiniest bit of hope that, once she passed on, she just might be able to forgive herself.

With Makoto’s words echoing in her heart…Ryoko slowly closed her eyes…patiently waited for her end to come.

* * *

“Was that really necessary?” Chairman Tengan questioned as Munakata returned to the long table. The white haired man rolled up his sleeve and stared at his watch.

Without looking away, Munakata answered, “She’ll be honest in her ‘final moments’. You approved this decision, did you not, Chairman?”

A low groan escaped the old man, a hint of sympathy hidden deep within his eyes as he watched Ryoko prepare for death.

“Indeed, I did. And I suppose I will have to take responsibility for that choice…”

* * *

“ _Is dying by lethal injection…supposed to take this long?_ ”

Ryoko Otonashi…felt very strange. Her body was heavy, and yet light at the same time. She could still feel the chair she was strapped into. Which was weird…because she could’ve sworn she’d been injected with the lethal liquid at least two or three minutes ago.

After her heartfelt thank you and apology to Makoto, she’d closed her eyes…and waited…but nothing seemed to be happening. With decided effort, Ryoko peeked one eye open and was surprised to see Munakata standing by the long table again, staring down at his watch. Then, just a few moments later, he focused his gaze back over to her.

“That should be enough time. The truth serum should have taken full effect by now.”

Despite the fog that permeated in her mind, those words rang out as clear as day. Her jaw dropped but she found herself strangely unable to throw out harsh words in his direction. Probably an effect of the drug, a ‘truth serum’…not a lethal injection! He’d outright lied to her! Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be the only one confused/pissed about the deception.

“T-Truth serum? Is it true? Is that all you gave her?!” Makoto called out from the floor, still held down by Sakakura. His tone was completely perplexed but also still worried.

In response to his concerns, the older gentleman, who had remained silent until this moment, gave both of them a warm smile and said, “I do apologize for the deception. But given Ms. Otonashi’s talents and history, we felt it was better to keep both of you in the dark about our intentions. Rest assured; the truth serum is the only thing that has been administered.”

Unexpectedly, his tone reminded her of an elderly grandfather displaying affection for his grandchildren. And although that information was reassuring, the fact that she felt very disoriented bothered her quite a bit. However, before she had time to focus her thoughts enough to protest, the white haired jerk spoke up again.

“With your permission, Chairman Tengan, I will begin the final interrogation.”

“Please do,” the elderly gentleman, Tengan, gave permission with a nod.

The instant he was granted permission, Munakata once again turned his stern gaze upon Ryoko. And without a moment’s hesitation, he began his questioning.

“State your full name.”

Compelled by the truth serum, Ryoko slowly opened her mouth and answered, “R-Ryoko…Otonashi…or at least…I think that’s my name.”

Considering it was the only name she could remember, she couldn’t be 100% certain of that, thus her answer. However, it was the unadulterated truth. For all intents and purposes, it’s exactly who she was. Even if her name had been different before, all she recognized herself as was Ryoko Otonashi.

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Munakata continued his questioning. “Do you have any idea where the Remnants of Despair are currently hiding?”

Confused by the question, Ryoko answered, “I…don’t even know who the Remnants of Despair are…let alone where they might be.”

Again, not commenting on her answer, Munakata carried on with the interrogation. “Do you truly not remember any of the events we’ve told you about? The Tragedy. The School Life of Mutual Killing. You truly have no knowledge of your involvement in either of those events?”

Shaking her head, she once again answered, “I don’t remember… _anything_. My memories start when Makoto and the others found me in that electric chair.”

Noting her answer, Munakata prepared to conclude the interrogation. This time, however, his face hardened, and he decided to approach her once again. When he was close enough to stand over her once again, which made her visibly uncomfortable, he stared directly into her eyes and asked his final question.

“What does the name ‘Junko Enoshima’, mean to you?”

Feeling pressured, but unable to do anything except speak the truth, Ryoko Otonashi nervously answered, “…Nothing. I don’t know that name or anyone who goes by it.”

It was the truth. The name didn’t jog any memories, trigger a headache, or even sound reminiscent to her. Obviously, whoever this Junko person was, they’d done something to earn the wrath of Munakata, and probably a lot of others. Or at least, she assumed as much, considering she could practically _feel_ the rage lingering behind Munakata’s gaze as he focused on her.

For nearly an entire, very uncomfortable minute, Munakata stared into her very soul…as if searching for something that just wasn’t there. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he backed away from her and turned toward Makoto and Sakakura.

“Let him up.”

A surprised expression crossed Sakakura’s face. “You sure about that?”

“I am,” was all Munakata replied, moving back toward the long table.

With a dissatisfied grunt and one final, almost murderous, glare in Ryoko’s direction, Sakakura pressed down hard against Makoto one last time before releasing his grip and stepping away. Although obviously aching from being pinned for so long, Makoto quickly rose to his feet and made his way toward Ryoko.

“Ryoko, are you…okay?” he asked, his voice a strange combination of trepidation mixed with concern. Given everything she’d just learned, she couldn’t really blame him for it. At least he was _trying_ to be sensitive.

“I’m drugged up…and apparently a murderer…so, no…I’m not okay…” she answered truthfully, still compelled by the truth serum. “But…I’m alive…and that’s something…”

“It’s more than you deserve, bitch.” Sakakura’s aggressive voice echoed from off to the side, the imposing figure leaning against the wall, a malicious glare still angled in her direction.

Ryoko didn’t respond to his taunt…knowing that he was probably right. It wasn’t every day you learned that you used to be psychotic murderer bent on spreading despair for no reason other than to create more despair. As upsetting as it was, the aggressive man was well within his rights to be vengeful…probably, at least.

“I don’t think those restraints are necessary anymore. Don’t you agree, Munakata?” the elderly Tengan said to the white haired man. Although his face was stern and stoic, Ryoko could see annoyance hidden beneath Munakata’s visage.

Glancing in Makoto’s direction, Munakata sternly addressed them. “…Release her if you wish. But know that if she makes any suspicious movements,” he flicked his wrist and a long katana slunk out of his sleeve, “I won’t hesitate to cut her down myself.”

Knowing the threat was real, Ryoko tensed and prayed she didn’t accidently do anything suspect in his presence. Taking the opportunity, Makoto began unlatching her from the chair. As he did, Ryoko watched as Chairman Tengan stood up, hands folded behind his back, and made his way around the table. By the time she was freed, and rubbing her sore wrists, the elderly gentleman was standing in front of them.

He patiently waited for her to stand up, her legs weak from being in the simulation for quite some time. Makoto helped her stand, offering his shoulder to help keep her upright, which she gladly accepted. Once she was on her feet, the Chairman gave her pleasant smile.

“Now then, Ms. Otonashi, I’d like to discuss your future, if you’re up for it?”

Honestly, she was scared to ponder anything at the moment. However, with the truth serum still coursing through her veins (how long was this going to last anyway?), she knew it was best to do as the Chairman suggested.

“…I think I am,” she said slowly, everyone knowing her words to be truthful. “But…I have a question first.”

“Oh? And what would that be?” Tengan replied, seemingly curious.

“When I was being…interrogated…you all mentioned someone name Junko Enoshima.” The instant she asked that name, the atmosphere in the room changed. Munakata’s gaze hardened, Sakakura visibly scoffed at her, and Makoto tensed up a bit. Even the kindly Tengan suddenly shifted his expression…which made it harder to finish her question. “I…uh, I was wondering…who that is? Does that person have some sort of connection to my past?”

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room…lingering far longer than anyone felt comfortable with. As Ryoko began to regret asking what she’d viewed as an innocent question, Munakata’s firm voice cut through the dense silence.

“Junko Enoshima was the leader of the Ultimate Despair,” he told her, drawing tense stares from Makoto and Tengan. “At this time, however, we have confirmed that she is, thankfully, deceased. We obtained confirmation of her death only a few moments ago, and we plan to make an official announcement once this interrogation is concluded.”

Taking in that information, Ryoko couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Then…why did you ask me about her? If she’s already dead…what did you hope to learn from me?”

Again, a dull silence filled the room, until Munakata pushed a button on the remote and the monitor came to life once more. To Ryoko’s surprise, the image displayed resembled her…or rather, what she’d looked like when she’d been found. The girl on the screen was wearing the exact same designer clothes she’d been found in and her eyes were a sky blue color.

However…something seemed…different about her. Unlike Ryoko, the girl on the screen had freckles, and her chest was slightly smaller. Those noticeably differences indicated that, even if they appeared similar, she and the girl on the screen were obviously two different people. 

“This is Junko Enoshima,” Munakata explained, his voice as stern and even as always. “As you can see, she bears a resemblance to the ensemble you were found in. From what we can gather, once the School Life of Mutual Killing was nearing its end, you donned her guise, presented yourself as the Mastermind and intended to be executed in her place.”

Thoroughly confused, Ryoko pondered aloud, “But…why would I do that? And if I took her place, wouldn’t that mean she’s still alive?”

“Fortunately, that is not the case,” Munakata firmly dismissed her idea, pushing another button and showing the young woman known as Junko Enoshima suddenly impaled by various spears shooting up out of the ground. “In what can only be concluded as madness, Junko Enoshima used herself as a sacrifice to her Despair…leaving you to finish the game in her stead. Her body was recovered, and an autopsy performed. There is no mistaking it. Junko Enoshima is dead.”

Feeling her stomach churn as she watched Junko Enoshima become a pin cushion, Ryoko realized that her question had still gone unanswered.

“Okay, but…that doesn’t explain why you asked me if her name meant anything to me.”

Without hesitation, Munakata replied, “Your fanatical devotion to Junko Enoshima led you to commit many heinous acts, including mass murder. Going so far as so disguise yourself as her and trying to die in her place, despite the fact that she was already gone. If the name Junko Enoshima means nothing to you, then it suggests that you are finally freed of her influence. That is what we needed to confirm.”

His answer was direct and precise…almost practiced. She desperately wanted to question him further on that but knew that upsetting him any further might lead her back into the execution chair. So, she decided to simply accept his answer, at least for now, and turned back to Chairman Tengan.

“I see,” she said slowly not sure where to take the conversation anymore. “T-Thanks for answering my question. Um…you said something about…my future?”

“Indeed, I did.” Chairman Tengan motioned for them to follow him to the table, gesturing for them to sit. Taking seats next to each other, Ryoko and Makoto waited for the elderly chairman to take his own seat. Folding his hands in front of his face, he smiled and said, “Tell me, Ms. Otonashi, were you serious about making amends for the crimes you unknowingly committed?”

Compelled to speak the truth, Ryoko answered, “Yes…although I don’t think dying is a good way to atone…”

She hadn’t meant to be so forthcoming, but it seemed the truth serum was more powerful than she’d originally thought. Whoever created it must be a genius or something. Regardless, her answer didn’t seem to bother the Chairman in the slightest. In fact, he almost seemed pleased with her answer.

“That’s good to hear, and I couldn’t agree more. In that case, I have a proposal for you.” He paused, glancing toward Makoto, who nodded firmly. Noting this exchange, Ryoko felt a bit wary as Tengan continued, “We are a group known as The Future Foundation. Our goal is the restoration of humanity, following The Tragedy. If you so desire, you will be permitted to assist us in our efforts, working directly under Makoto in his unit.”

A noiseless gasp escaped Ryoko, almost unable to believe what she was hearing. Glancing between Makoto, who smiled warmly at her, and the kindly Chairman, Ryoko felt the first bit of hope rise up within her for the first time since she’d been rescued. At the same time…it felt too good to be true, and something inside her told her there was more to it than it seemed.

“R-Really?! You’ll let me join your organization?” she asked, trying not to sound skeptical and more hopeful. 

Sadly, her analytical talents were right on the money as Tengan sighed. “Well, technically, you won’t be a part of our organization, not really. You’ll be allowed to assist Makoto with his tasks, but leaving this building is out of the question. You will be confined to your room and will only be allowed to leave with mine or Munakata’s direct permission. In addition, it should come as no surprise that we will need to keep you under 24 hour surveillance, at least for the time being.”

Ryoko’s enthusiasm dipped as her restrictions were made known. So…in the end, she was still being treated like a prisoner. Not that she didn’t understand the reasons behind it. If she was in the Chairman’s position, she would probably do the same. Seriously, the fact that they’d allowed her to live was a blessing in and of itself! And if she could help Makoto…and repay him for the faith he’d shown in her, she’d just have to endure it.

After all, she could barely trust herself right now, so asking others to trust her would be beyond hypocritical. The idea of relapsing into her old self _seemed_ impossible, considering they _tried_ to bring her memories back. But…there was always a possibility…that her old self might return…and that thought terrified her more than any other.

Lightly shaking her head to dislodge those negative thoughts, she inquired, “I understand. Then…what exactly would I be doing?”

Seemingly pleased with her taking the initiative, Tengan elaborated, “I would ask that you use your talents to assist Makoto with rescuing a group of Hope’s Peak students we recently learned survived The Tragedy. I’m sure that, if the two of work together with rest of the unit he belongs to, you will be able to determine their locations and devise a rescue effort. After all, even though your talent as the Ultimate Analyst has diminished somewhat, your skills are still quite impressive.” 

“D-Diminished somewhat?” she almost interrupted, confused by his wording. Then, her memory kicked in and she recalled what Munakata had said during the interrogation. “W-Wait…that was mentioned earlier…something about the simulation showing that I wasn’t…quite as proficient with my talent anymore.”

To that, both Makoto and Tengan suddenly grew quiet. Looking between them, Ryoko felt an ominous foreboding. Before she could press the issue further, Makoto laid a hand on her shoulder. A bit startled, she glanced at him and was shocked when she spotted the pained expression he wore.

“Ryoko…promise me you’ll do your best to stay calm, okay?” he said slowly, only further increasing her worries.

“I make no promises!” she blurted, her anxiety spiking as she grabbed onto his hand. Instantly, her analytical brain calculated various ideas and she began sputtering them off. “Am…am I dying or something?! Do I only have a few months to live?! Is that why my talents are diminishing?!”

“N-No! None of that!” a startled Makoto cut her off, seemingly more horrified by her suggestions than the actual truth. “You’re perfectly healthy! I swear! It’s just that…”

Again the pausing was killing her, and she couldn’t stop herself from shouting, “W-What is it?! Just tell me, please! I can’t take the—!”

“…You have brain damage.”

…

…

Well…that explained a lot. As shocking as that was, honestly, it didn’t scare her as much as it probably should have. Perhaps it was the many brushes with death she’d experienced today, but the idea of having brain damage just didn’t sound as frightful as incoming death! Not to mention, considering her missing memories, that just kind of made sense.

“Our technicians examined the device you were found in back at the school,” Tengan elaborated, trying to assuage her fears. “It seems that it directly shocks parts of the brain used to store memory. It can be used to permanently erase memories…and in your case, nearly all of them were completely expunged.”

Ryoko nodded numbly, thankful for the explanation but now filled with so many questions. “So…does that mean my memories are unstable? Will I…start to forget things soon?”

“Thankfully, it seems the device is precise enough not to cause lasting damage, aside from the missing memories,” the Chairman told her, smiling as she let out a breath she’d been holding. “That said, it does appear that, given how much of your memory was erased, it affected your analytical abilities as well. As of this moment…there’s no way to know if you’ll ever be as gifted in analysis as you once were…”

Strangely, as the elderly gentleman explained her loss of ability…a sense of calm overtook her. The idea of having such a powerful ability to analyze anything instantly…kind of freaked her out. She already did it without trying all the time, and it was intimidating enough as is! If her talents expanded beyond this, she might lose her mind with how much information she could absorb at one time.

Was…was _that_ the reason her previous self had become such a psychotic person? Did this ability…drive her into madness because of its potency? Or…had she always been psychotic and just used that talent to further her goals?

Honestly, she didn’t want to know, and frankly, she was pleased with the apparent diminishing of her talent. She liked how she was right now and didn’t _want_ that to change. Even if her analytical mind could be a bit frustrating, if she could use that talent to make amends for her crimes…and help her repay Makoto’s kindness, then it would be worth the headache.

“Oh, well, that’s…interesting,” she said carefully before glancing at Makoto. “Well…as long as I can help Makoto with…whatever it is he’s trying to do, I’m fine with it.”

“Then you agree to the terms?” Tengan asked, to which she nodded firmly.

“Yeah…I’ll do my best to help in whatever way I can,” Ryoko told him, earning a smile from Makoto.

“Very good. Now then, there is one more thing I’d like to discuss with you,” the Chairman said…before his visage suddenly shifted. The kind expression from before vanished, and the glare from his glasses suddenly obscured his eyes. Ryoko fought back a gasp as his voice abruptly deepened. “Your status as a previous member of Ultimate Despair can’t be erased, nor will those affected by The Tragedy forgive what you’ve done. If you do anything that could even remotely be considered suspicious…it would reflect negatively upon us and we would be forced to… _rectify_ our decision. Do I make myself clear?”

A slight tremor rocked Ryoko’s body as the threat seeped into her. Gone was the kindly, grandfather-like Chairman she’d met. In his place, a man with fiercer determination than even Munakata stood in his place…obviously prepared to end her if she became a liability.

What had she gotten herself into?!

So, if she didn’t prove herself useful to The Future Foundation…she’d be killed! Well, wasn’t that just great! Out of the frying pan and into the inferno! Not to mention that most of the people around her will more than likely hate her for what she’d done in the past…and would probably work to sabotage her…which could be deadly in this case! At least she’d be working with Makoto…that was the only thing that gave her any sense of hope.

Trying not to let her terror show, she replied in a quiet voice, “Y-Yes, sir. I understand completely.”

Thankfully, once her answer was presented, Tengan’s fearsome visage abruptly changed back to more friendly…but she would never forget the monster that lurked just beneath the surface of that seemingly gentle old man.

Surprisingly, the elderly gentleman then turned his attention toward Munakata, who had moved to stand near Sakakura on the far side of the room. “I trust that this decision is acceptable to you, Vice-Chairman Munakata?”

Ryoko’s eye nearly bulged out of her sockets. That _JERK_ was the Vice-Chairman of The Future Foundation?! If that was the case, her life expectancy just plummeted to near unsalvable levels!

Slowly, she turned to gauge his reaction and strangely found him nonchalantly straightening his tie…as if he wasn’t bother by this in the least! His katana had disappeared, probably back up his sleeve, and he appeared ready to get back to…whatever his usual work entailed.

“I have already voiced my complaints and they have been noted. I will respect your decision, based on the evidence we now have.” As usual, his demeanor was derogatory and to the point. Once he was finished adjusting his white suit, he briefly glanced in Ryoko’s direction and said, “It is out of my hands now. But I certainly hope that such _platitudes_ don’t rear their ugly heads anytime soon.”

And with that, Munakata advanced toward a door that Ryoko only just now noticed. Sakakura followed swiftly behind him, hands shoved into his pockets. The violent man continued to glare in Ryoko’s direction until the two of them disappeared through the door and out of sight.

Most of the tension in the room went with them, but Ryoko was still a bit wary of the Chairman, especially after he’d shown he was not to be underestimated. Still, it was hard not to let her guard down a bit when Tengan suddenly smiled gently at her.

“Although I can’t guarantee they’ll come around, at least for now, let me say this,” the Chairman tried to reassure her, extending a hand to her, “Welcome to the Future Foundation.”

Despite feeling incredibly trepidatious, Ryoko Otonashi took the hand and shook it. Once that was completed, Chairman Tengan stood up and proceeded toward the exit as well, leaving her in Makoto’s care for the time being.

A huge sense of relief washed over her now that the interrogation was finally over, although it seemed that she was far from welcome in this place. At that moment, she felt a familiar hand come to rest on her shoulder.

Glancing over, she saw Makoto smiling hopefully at her, which gave her just a little bit more strength than before.

“I know this wasn’t easy for you but…from here on out, you can rely on me and others to help you out whenever you need us.”

“O-Others?”

“Oh, did I not mention it? We’ve all joined the foundation. In fact, you’ll be working with me under Kyoko, so at least you’ll have some people you recognize working with you.”

In all honesty, that _did_ reassure her…even if she wasn’t exactly looking forward to learning exactly what she’d done to the rest of the ‘survivors’. Knowing that she’d put them through that horrendous killing game, she felt an enormous sense of guilt…but strangely, a sense of hope as well. Because…she _wanted_ to make amends, she _wanted_ to atone for everything she’d done.

And although she knew it would be a long road ahead…with someone like Makoto helping her out…she somehow just knew that everything was going to work out.

“Yeah…let’s rebuild the world together, Makoto!” she proudly proclaimed, ready to try and spread hope instead of despair.

* * *

From outside, peering in from the hallway, a certain former Ultimate Housekeeper surveyed the scene…a wicked smile spreading across her lips.

“Well, that was certainly unexpected,” Chisa Yukizome said to herself, her eyes glistening with spiraling madness. “Junko Enoshima may be gone…but there’s always room for Ryoko Otonashi to find despair in herself…”

With a disturbing chuckle, the despair-infused Chisa pulled out a flash drive, preparing to meet with Chairman Tengan and give him the wonderful gift…of despair!

* * *

**END OF THE INTERROGATION**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, my beautiful readers! I hope that you enjoyed this expansion to my original “Junko’s ‘Execution’” story! Yes, there will be another story to show what happens to Ryoko and everyone else in this new timeline I’ve created, so I hope you all enjoy it when I eventually get around to writing it!
> 
> I almost can’t believe I actually finished this! The original one-shot was the very first DR fanfic I ever wrote and while it wasn’t perfect, I always wanted to continue it but never had the drive. Well, the drive came back suddenly and I’m proud of what I’ve created!
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment/review to tell me what you think of the story and where you think it might be going! Until next time, keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings, my beautiful readers! The long awaited sequel to “Junko’s ‘Execution’” is finally here! I decided to split it into three parts, as it was too long to be a one-shot, like the original. The other two parts will be released later this week! I hope you enjoy the story!
> 
> As always I appreciate comments/reviews! If you have some theories as to what’s going to happen, feel free to share them! Take care of yourselves and keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!


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